RA 9994 is the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

It amended RA 9257 or the

Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003, which also amended RA 7432, the original
Senior Citizens Act of 1993.
What is the intent behind RA 9994?
RA 9994 is a social welfare legislation intended to benefit our Filipino elderly and
provide them additional privileges.
When did RA 9994 become effective?
RA 9994 became effective on April 22, 2010. It was published on March 28, 2010 in
the Philippine Daily Inquirer and April 7, 2010 in Business Mirror.
Within what period did the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)
need to be formulated?
The DSWD, in consultation with other government agencies, senior citizens NGOs
and other stakeholders, had until June 22, 2010 or 60 days from the laws effectivity
to draft the new IRR to provide specific and operationalize the new senior citizens
law.
When did the IRR become effective?
The IRR became effective on July 6, 2010. The IRR was published in Business Mirror
and Remate on June 21, 2010, and in the Philippine Star on June 22, 2010.
Within what period should government agencies draft their own
supplemental guidelines to augment the IRR and provide other necessary
details to the senior citizens law?
Line agencies like the DOH, DILG, DOTC, DOT, DOF and their attached offices are
given thirty (30) days from the IRRs effectivity to draft their respective
supplemental guidelines.
However, due to the requirement of public hearings, regulatory bodies of utility
providers like the ERC, MWSS and LWUA are given six (6) months to draft their
relevant guidelines.
Who are entitled to the benefits and privileges granted under RA 9994?
All Filipino residents who are 60 years old and above are entitled to the benefits
and privileges granted RA 9994. It may cover elderly dual citizens who can prove
Filipino citizenship and at least 6 months residency in the Philippines.
What are the benefits and privileges given to senior citizens under RA
9994?
Senior citizens are entitled to the following:
a) discount privileges,

b) free services,
c) exemptions,
d) incentives,
e) government financial assistance, and
f) priority in express lanes.
What are the senior citizens Discount Privileges granted under RA 9994?
Senior Citizens are entitled to the following:
a) 20% discount on the purchase of certain goods and services,
b) special 5% discount on prime commodities and basic necessities,
c) 5% utility discount on electric and water consumption, and
d) 50% discount on electric, water and telephone consumption of senior citizens
centers and residential or group homes.
What transactions by senior citizens are covered by the 20% discount and
VAT-exemption?
The 20% senior citizens discount and VAT-exemption shall apply only to the
following purchases of goods and services, when applicable:
a) the purchase of medicines, including the purchase of influenza and
pneumococcal vaccines, and such other essential medical supplies, accessories and
equipment;
b) the professional fees of attending physician/s in all private hospitals, medical
facilities, outpatient clinics and home health care services;
c) the professional fees of licensed professional health workers providing home
health care services as endorsed by private hospitals or employed through home
health care employment agencies;
d) medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory fees in all private
hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, and home health care services, in
accordance with the rules and regulations to be issued by the' DOH, in coordination
with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth);
e) actual fare for land transportation travel in public utility buses (PUBs), public
utility jeepneys (PUJs), taxis, Asian utility vehicles (AUVs), shuttle services and
public railways, including Light Rail Transit (LRT), Mass Rail Transit (MRT) , and
Philippine National Railways (PNR);
f) actual transportation fare for domestic air transport services and sea shipping
vessels and the like, based on the actual fare and advanced booking;

g) the utilization of services in hotels and similar lodging establishments,

restaurants and recreation centers;
h) admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses,
carnivals, and other similar places of culture, leisure and amusement; and
i) funeral and burial services for the death of senior citizens;
How can senior citizens avail of the Discount Privileges from business
establishments?
A senior citizen, or a duly authorized representative, must present an ORIGINAL AND
VALID senior citizens identification card issued by the Office of Senior Citizens
Affairs (OSCA) in the city or municipality where he/she resides, with the necessary
purchase booklet for medicines, or the purchase booklet for basic necessities/prime
commodities, when applicable.
Can bedridden or incapacitated senior citizens avail of discounted
purchases through a representative?
Yes, but senior citizens can send their duly authorized representative to purchase
their medicines and grocery items only. However, the representative must carry the
senior citizens OSCA ID, the senior citizens purchase booklet, a document
specifically authorizing the representative, and a doctors prescription when
necessary.
However, discounted food purchases cannot be by proxy or through a
representative owing to the limitation that it should be for the exclusive use and
enjoyment, or personal consumption of the senior citizen only.
What items are subject to the Special 5% Discount privilege?
The special 5% discount privilege applies only to prime commodities and basic
necessities as listed under the Price Act or Republic Act No. 7581.
a) BASIC NECESSITIES such as rice, corn, bread, fresh, dried and canned fish and
other marine products, fresh pork, beef and poultry, meat, fresh eggs, fresh and
processed milk, fresh vegetables, root crops, coffee, sugar, cooking oil, salt, laundry
soap, detergents;
b) PRIME COMMODITIES like fresh fruits, flour, dried, processed and canned pork,
beef and poultry, meat, dairy products not falling under basic necessities; noodles,
onions, garlic; and
c) all drugs not classified as essential drugs by the DOH and other commodities that
may be classified by the DTI and the DA according to Republic Act No. 7581 or The
Price Act

Are purchases of vitamins and minerals subject to the 20% discount on

medicines?
Yes, vitamins and minerals specifically prescribed by an attending physician for an
elderly for the prevention, treatment or diagnosis of a disease or illness can be
considered as medicine or drug purchases subject to the 20% discount.
Does the 20% discount apply to food supplements prescribed by an
attending physician?
No, the 20% discount on drug and medicine purchases does not extend to food or
food supplements, even if prescribed by a doctor for an elderly.
Is the senior citizens discount applicable to purchase of goods and
services paid in cash only?
No, the senior citizens discount applies to purchases or transactions paid either in
cash and or by credit card.
Can senior citizens avail of the 20% discount on food purchases whether
take-out/take-home, drive-thru or by delivery?
Yes, as long as the food purchase is for the personal consumption of the senior
citizen and he/she is able to show an OSCA-issued ID, the 20% discount must be
granted.
What are the FREE services senior citizens are entitled to?
Senior citizens are entitled to the following free medical benefits:
a) medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory tests requested by the
physician such as but not limited to X-rays, computerized tomography scans, and
blood tests availed of by senior citizens, including professional fees of attending
doctors in all government hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, and home
health care services,
b) free pneumoccocal and influenza vaccine for indigent senior citizens.
Does availing of the 20% senior citizens discount on hospitalization or
medical services preclude utilizing PHILHEALTH benefits at the same time?
No, a senior citizens discount on hospitalization and/or medical services can be
availed of separately. Thus, PHILHEALTH coverage can still be utilized on top of the
20% senior citizens discount.
What are the utility discounts available to senior citizens?
There are 2 types of utility discounts that will benefit senior citizens:
a) 50% discount on electric, water and telephone consumption on senior citizens

centers and residential/group homes as a form of institutional support; and

b) 5% discount on electric consumption not exceeding 100 kwhrs and water
consumption not exceeding 30 cubic meters for households with senior citizens
residing therein and under whose name the separate meters are registered.
What other government financial assistance are now available to senior
citizens?
There are two (2) new provisions under RA 9994 that will directly benefit senior
citizens:
a) Monthly Social Pension of P500 to be given to indigent senior citizens; and
b) Death Benefit Assistance of P2,000 to be given to the nearest surviving relative
who cared for the deceased senior citizen until his/her death.
What funeral and burial services are entitled to the 20% discount?
Funeral and burial services subject to the 20% discount include the purchase of the
casket or urn, embalming, cremation costs, pick-up of the body from the morgue,
transport for burial at his/her hometown, but excluding obituary publication and the
cost of the memorial lot.