CAPELCO vows to give 5% senior citizen discount
ROXAS CITY – The Capiz Electric Cooperative (CAPELCO) is waiting for the guidelines on the implementation of the five percent discount in the electric bill of senior citizen member-consumers.
CAPELCO Board Chairman Oscar Acolentaba said the guidelines will come from the National Electrification Administration.
Acolentaba said that once they receive the guidelines, they are committed to give the said benefit to their senior citizen member-consumers.
Earlier, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said that discounts on electric and water utilities shall be covered by supplemental guidelines issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and the Local Water Utilities Administration, respectively, six months after the effectivity of the IRR.
On February 15, Republic Act 9944, otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 was signed into law by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which exempts the country’s estimated 4.6 million senior citizens from paying the 12 percent expanded value added tax on basic purchases and other essential goods and services.
Under the law, senior citizens may also enjoy a five-percent discount on their water and electric bills, on condition that the utilities are in the name of senior citizen and that the consumption is below 100 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 30 cubic meters water a month, among others.
The EVAT exemption for the senior citizens, or those who are 60 years old and above, applies to purchases of medicines and essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment; fees of attending physicians; medical, dental fees and diagnostic and laboratory fees; fares for buses, jeepneys, taxis, AUVs, shuttle services, public railways, domestic air and sea transport craft.
The tax privilege also applies to services in hotels, restaurants and similar establishments; admission fees in cinemas, theaters and other places of culture, leisure and amusement; and funeral and burial services. PIA
