Implementing Rules and Regulatory Guidelines
- Section 4 (a), Article 7, Rule V of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) mandates that the 20% discount on medicines applies to establishments such as drugstores, hospital pharmacies, medical and optical clinics.
- The discount is subject to guidelines issued by the Bureau of Food and Drugs, Department of Health, and coordinated with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHILHEALTH).
- The Department of Health (DOH) has reinforced these guidelines, issuing specific Administrative Orders (AO Nos. 177, Series 2004) to ensure enforcement.
Modes of Payment for Discount Application
- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) clarified since February 2007 that senior citizens can avail the 20% discount regardless of the payment mode.
- This includes purchases made in cash or through credit cards.
- The DTI's revised Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of September 2007 explicitly confirmed that credit cards are acceptable for discount application on medicines and prescription drugs.
Authority and Responsibility for Implementation
- The Department of Justice (DOJ) affirmed in Opinion No. 55, Series of 2007, that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) holds primary responsibility for implementing, administering, and enforcing RA 9257.
- This authority is exercised through the mandate of the National Coordinating and Monitoring Board (NCMB), enabling the DSWD to adopt official positions and enforce compliance.
Prohibited Acts Under RA 9257 and DOH AO 177
- The Resolution explicitly prohibits actions that infringe upon the senior citizens' right to the 20% discount, including:
- Refusing to grant the full discount when purchases are paid via credit card.
- Posting signs or notices that limit the discount to cash payments only.
- Restricting the discount availability to certain weekdays, effectively denying it on other days.
- Limiting the times of day when senior citizens can avail the discount, such as refusing discounts after a particular hour.
Coordination and Dissemination of Resolution
- Copies of the Resolution are to be distributed to key government agencies and stakeholders, such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Mercury Drug Corporation, Drug Stores Association of the Philippines, Federation of Senior Citizens of the Philippines (FSCAP), and respective Offices of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCAs).
- This aims to ensure widespread awareness and compliance among establishments and older persons organizations.
Signatories and Authority
- The Resolution is adopted and signed by key members of the NCMB representing the DSWD, DILG, DOH, DOJ, and several senior citizen organizations and advocates.
- This official endorsement underscores the Resolution's significance and legal authority in protecting senior citizens' rights to medicine discounts.