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By Sammy Martin, Reporter
ADDITIONAL gift for elderly could be underway
after a lawmaker from the National Capital Region over the weekend
sought for the exemption of senior citizens from the 12-percent
expanded value added tax (E-vat) on the services and commodities
they patronize.
Congresswoman Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David has filed
House Bill 4421 or “An Act Exempting Senior Citizens from the
12-percent E-VAT,” since the implementation of the 12-percent
E-VAT has impaired the 20-percent discount privilege granted to
senior citizens.
“Establishments and services are deducting the
12-percent E-VAT from the 20-percent discount of senior citizens,
thereby greatly reducing the said discount to only 8 percent which
is contrary to the grant of the law,” Bonoan-David lamented.
“By exempting senior citizens from the
12-percent E-VAT, they will be able to enjoy the full 20-percent
discount granted by law,” she added.
David claimed that the measure is an adherence
to Sec. 4 of Art. XV of the Constitution, which states that “the
family has the duty to care for its elderly members, but the State
may also do so through just programs of social security.”
The proposal provides the purchases by senior
citizens of commodities or services, covered by Republic Act 9257 or
the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003, shall not be subjected to
12-percent E-VAT.
Furthermore, in case the establishments
collected the 12-percent E-VAT from senior citizens, the
establishments shall only be entitled to an 8-percent tax deduction
corresponding to the sales discount it extended to the senior
citizens concerned.
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