PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE GOVERNMENT will soon release online discount guidelines for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWD), the Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) said.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will put together comments from concerned agencies by June 15 to develop a joint memorandum order, ARTA said in a statement on Monday.

The government agencies will hold a consultation meeting with stakeholders before the end of June.

A consumer group reached out to the red tape watchdog to flag inaction on a request to issue guidelines for availing senior citizen and PWD discounts online, where shoppers buy more products amid lockdown restrictions.

Senior citizens and PWDs are entitled to a 20% discount and are exempt from value added tax on certain goods and services under Philippine laws.

“They are not able to claim their privileges granted by law because most merchants do not know what and how to grant them their discounts,” ARTA said.

Laban Konsyumer, Inc. wrote to ARTA to ask for its intervention in March, saying that no guidelines had been released even though it sent its request to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and DSWD in October last year.

ARTA said DSWD will lead the drafting of the joint order because the agency primarily responds to senior citizen and PWD concerns.

DTI in August last year said senior citizen discounts are honored in online transactions and for purchases done on senior citizens’ behalf.

Discounts do not apply to delivery charges for goods bought online, the National Council on Disability Affairs said. — Jenina P. Ibañez

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