GOVERNMENT programs for the elderly look great. On paper, that is. But, as the programs are being implemented, the elderly runs into all sorts of problems.If the elderly is not recorded at the National Statistics Office, he has a big problem proving his date of birth. Normally, you have to submit affidavits from two persons who were old enough when you were born. But, in my case, at 80 going 81, all those who knew when I was born are now dead. My baptismal record is also gone. Fortunately, I have my passport. The excellent Expanded Senior Citizens Law, as authored by Parañaque Rep. Ed Zialcita, broadened the coverage of the discount program. The law also did away with the Senior Citizens ID as the sole proof of age. A passport or a driver's license is supposed to be equally acceptable. But getting your 20-percent discount on your purchase is always a big battle. Every establishment I go into will not give the discount unless I can present a Senior Citizens ID. I am told that the Bureau of Internal Revenue will look for the Senior Citizens ID when the establishment applies for the tax break. Somebody has to straighten out the BIR on this matter. I usually get my discount anyway by throwing a tantrum and threatening to file a complaint. Even the application of the 12-percent value-added tax had to be clarified. Recently, the BIR finally ruled that the computation should be, as follows: if the gross price is P100, the 20-percent discount is applied first, then the VAT is computed on the P80 net price, bringing the final price to P89.60. Vice President Noli de Castro has joined the fray. He confirmed that the discount should be given even if the elderly wanted to charge the transaction against his credit card. But mighty Mercury Drug insists that no discount will be given except on cash transactions. This is why I no longer buy my medicines from Mercury Drug. At the Social Security System, some retirees have problems with their pensions. Of all people, my good friend, Amading Cabaero, the founding national president of the Philippine Association of Retired Persons, discovered the other week that the SSS had been shortchanging him since his pension started some 15 years ago. PARP's national executive board will take up the case formally with the SSS. Amading's case is not uncommon. At the Government Service Insurance System, the problems of the elderly seem to be worse. Two weeks ago, I took my friend Magdalena Villanueva to the GSIS. She had come all the way from the United States to make a personal appearance to prove that she was still alive and kicking at age 84. A certificate from the Philippine Consulate used to be acceptable. But not anymore. At the pensions department, I counted at least 50 other elderly pensioners making their personal appearances to prove they were still alive, just like Magdalena. I appreciate the need of the GSIS to make sure that 84-year-old pensioners are still alive. After all, according to the mortality table used by Insular Life, for every 1,000 people, all age 84, about 62 of them will not reach their 85th birthday. Will Magdalena then make a personal appearance at the GSIS every year from here on? But Magdalena's problem was more than proving that she was still alive. She claimed that she had not received her pension since 2003. The GSIS told her the checks for 2003-2004 were issued, released and apparently cashed. Problems like these prompted the GSIS to embark on the check-less e-card system. The bank is now reconciling the account. Magdalena hopes the reconciliation will not outlive her. The pensions for 2005-2006 were indeed unpaid. To withdraw the money, Magdalena had to apply for an e-card. One week later, she went back to the GSIS to get her e-card. But, it was not working. Twice, the e-card had to be replaced. Finally, the third e-card was a success. But, although she was told that her e-card was already activated, Magdalena has to wait for three more weeks before she can take out her money. Is this delay due to an administrative or a cash flow problem? Or, maybe both? It looks like the e-card system is not working well, so far. Maybe, the GSIS should adopt the successful card-less and check-less SSS system. Must the problems of the elderly end at the grave?
Previous columns:
How to count the vote without automation – 2/05/07
Getting elected now too expensive – Part 2 – 01/30/07
Getting elected now too expensive – 01/22/07
Faulty math of women's right advocates – 01/08/07
What a year that was! – 1/02/07
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