Poe bats for 20% discount, VAT exemption for ‘junior citizens’

Sen. Grace Poe on Friday filed a measure that seeks to grant poor children aged zero to 12 years-old or ‘junior citizens’ a 20 percent discount and exemption from value-added taxes (VAT). (Photo: Grace Poe/Facebook)

MANILA—Sen. Grace Poe on Friday filed a measure that seeks to grant poor children aged zero to 12 years-old or ‘junior citizens’ a 20 percent discount and exemption from value-added taxes (VAT).

Under Senate Bill No. 1295 or the proposed Junior Citizens Act of 2017, Poe said that children whose family’s annual income does not exceed PHP250,000 can avail of a 20-percent discount and exemption from VAT on medicines, vaccines and essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment.

“This proposed legislation would surely help every poor Filipino family’s financial constraints, raise their level of living and improve their quality of life,”” Poe said.

Poe said that once enacted into law, junior citizens will also be entitled to discounts and VAT exemptions on professional fees of attending physicians in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, home health care services and service providers; on medical and dental services, diagnostics and laboratory fees in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatients and home health care services.

They will also be entitled to discounts and VAT exemptions on admission fees on theaters, cinemas and concert halls, leisure and amusement parks; and on funeral and burial services.

Meanwhile, medical and dental services, diagnostics and laboratory of junior citizens on state-run facilities will be free of charge and all necessary pediatric vaccinations will be administered for free.

The measure also makes junior citizens automatic members of state health insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Poe said the bill intends to provide relief to poor Filipino families with children, in the light of rising prices of basic commodities and services.