IRR on RA 9994 – The Expanded Senior Citizens’ Act of 2010 (Fuel and Oil Products not covered.)

The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9994 also known as Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 will be signed today, June 18, at the Department of Social Welfare and Development Central Office in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.

The IRR will be signed by secretaries of concerned government agencies with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as lead agency, and representatives of non-government organizations serving senior citizens.

Social Welfare and Development Acting Secretary Celia Capadocia-Yangco said that the signing of the IRR will operationalize the specific provisions of RA 9994. The benefits and privileges include the grant of 20 percent discount and exemption from value-added tax (VAT) on the purchase of goods and services; five percent discount on electric and water consumption provided that the individual meters for the utilities are registered in the name of the senior citizen and that monthly consumption should not exceed 100 kilowatt hours of electricity and 30 cubic meters of water; free vaccination against the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for poor seniors; P2,000 death benefit assistance; and monthly social pension of P500 for indigent older persons.

Acting Secretary Yangco explained that the new VAT-exemption of discounted senior citizens purchases will require the issuance of new Revenue Regulations by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), for approval of the Department of Finance (DOF).

The medical or health-related privileges, on the other hand, whether discounted or for free and the discounts on purchase of goods and services from leisure and recreation centers shall be subject to the supplemental guidelines to be issued by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, respectively, within 30 days from the effectivity of the IRR.

Likewise, discounts on electric and water utilities shall be covered by supplemental guidelines issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), respectively, six months after the effectivity of the IRR.

? The monthly social pension of P500 for indigent senior citizens shall be subject to DSWD guidelines which shall include the development of criteria for identification and selection of beneficiaries, the mechanisms for establishing a database, the system for delivery or release of the benefits, as well as monitoring and evaluation to facilitate the implementation of this additional government assistance,? Acting Secretary Yangco said.

She added that the actual disbursement of this benefit shall likewise be subject to availability of funds pending the release of the DSWD budget by the Department of Budget and Management.

Meanwhile, the Social Pension is also subject to a review every two years by Congress, in consultation with the DSWD.

Further, the P2,000 death assistance is intended for indigent senior citizens who shall be identified based on DSWD guidelines.

The IRR which will become effective two weeks after its complete publication in two major dailies of national circulation will benefit approximately six million senior citizens.

RA 9994 was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on February 15, 2010. ### ( DSWD-Social Marketing Service) June 18, 2010.

Download Complete IRR on RA 9994 in PDF format

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