This is to reiterate the coverage and requirements of the 20% discount on purchase of medicines for Senior Citizens.
Section IV.2 of Administrative Order (AO) No. 2012-0007-A entitled, “Amendment to Include Vitamins and Minerals Supplements in the Scope of Administrative Order No. 2012-0007, entitled “Guidelines on the Grant of 20% Discount to Senior Citizens on Health-Related Goods and for other Purposes” defined medicines as:
Medicines refer to prescription and non-prescription/over-the-counter drugs, both generic and branded, including vitamins and mineral supplements medically prescribed by the attending physician, and approved by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of human disease or sickness. It does not include food, devices or their components, parts, or accessories.
In order to avail the 20% discount on purchases of medicines, Senior Citizens or their representatives are required to present any of the following Identification Document as per Section 4 of Republic Act (RA) No. 9994 otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010”:
A. Identification card (ID) issued by the city or municipal mayor or Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) or the barangay captain of the place where the Senior Citizen resides;
B. The Philippine passport of the senior citizen concerned; or
C. Other documents that establish that the senior citizen is a citizen of the Republic and is at least sixty (60) years of age as further provided in the implementing rules and regulation which shall include but not limited to the following government issued documents indicating an elderly’s birthday or age (i.e., driver’s license, voter’s ID, SSS/GSIS ID, PRC card, and postal ID)
Section VI.6.1.b of AO No. 2012-0007 does not require a doctor’s prescription for the purchase of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.
Senior Citizens must also bring their Purchase Slip Booklets for purposes of recording the kind of OTC medicine purchased, how many, when and where it was purchase pursuant to Section VI.6.1.c of the same AO.
All drug outlets and hospital pharmacies are hereby required to grant 20% discount on medicines purchased by Senior Citizens upon presentation of the above requirements. Sanctions and penalties shall be imposed in accordance with Section 7 of RA No. 9994, amending Section 10 of RA No. 9257 in relation with Section 6 thereof.
Dissemination of this Advisory to all concerned is hereby requested.