Senior Citizen Benefits and Person With Disability Privileges in the Philippines

68 comments

Updated: June 24, 2023

Every time I go out with my parents, it never fails to impress me how much we get to save on our meal receipts because of their senior citizen benefits. Moreover, I am also quite happy, with the many discounts and privileges that my deaf and mute friend enjoys, in so many establishments in the city.

Unfortunately, not many senior citizens, and most specially people with disabilities, know their rights and benefits. That’s why, as a simple public service, I’m sharing with you today some of the senior citizen benefits and special privileges of PWD’s that is mandated by law in the Philippines.

Who is eligible for a Senior Citizen’s ID Card?
One must be a Filipino citizen (dual citizens included), at least 60 years old, and a resident in the city where he or she is applying in for at least 6 months.

How to apply for a senior citizen’s card?
The process is very simple, and all you have to do is to go to and apply at the Office Of The Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in your city of residence. You’ll be required to accomplish an application form, submit a proof of eligibility and a recent 1″ x 1″ ID photograph.

senior_citizen

Who is eligible for a Person with Disability (PWD) ID Card?
Any Filipino citizen (dual citizens included) with physical or mental impairment that restricts him or her to perform daily living activities either continuously or periodically for extended periods.

And as a result of these restrictions, the person requires assistance from another person, animal or device to perform such daily living activities.

How to apply for a PWD ID card?

The person or his/her caregiver can obtain an application form from any of the issuing offices established by the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) in various cities and barangays in the country.

See the full list here: List of Provinces and Cities Issuing PWD IDs

The applicant or the caregiver must then submit several document requirements which includes a clinical abstract duly signed by any licensed private or government clinic or hospital-based physician.

pwd

What are the benefits of senior citizens in the Philippines?

There are a lot, and each city even has their own list of benefits and privileges. But here are some that should apply everywhere:

  • Twenty percent (20%) discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT), if applicable, on the sale of goods and services from ALL establishments, for the exclusive use and enjoyment or availment of the senior citizen.
  • Exemption from the payment of individual income taxes of senior citizens who are considered to be minimum wage earners.
  • A grant of a minimum of five percent (5%) discount relative to the monthly utilization of water and electricity supplied by the public utilities, if stated PROVISIONS apply.
  • Exemption from training fees for socioeconomic programs.
  • Free medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory fees such as, but not limited to, x-rays, computerized tomography scans and blood tests, in all government facilities, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the DOH in coordination with the PhilHealth.
  • Provision of express lanes for senior citizens in all commercial and government establishments

What are the privileges of people with disabilities in the Philippines?

There are likewise many benefits that PWD’s are entitled to. But I think the most important one is their entitlement to at least twenty percent (20%) discount on:

  • All establishments relative to the utilization of all services in hotels and similar lodging establishments; restaurants and recreation centers.
  • Admission fees charged by the theaters, cinema houses, concert halls, circuses, carnivals and other similar places of culture, leisure and amusement.
  • The purchase of medicines in all drugstores.
  • On medical and dental services including diagnostic and laboratory fees such as, but not limited to x-rays, computerized tomography scans and blood tests, in all government facilities, subject to guidelines to be issued by the Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHILHEALTH).
  • On far for domestic air and sea travel, public railways, skyways and bus fare.

And those above are just the financial benefits, there are of course many others such as the privilege to have installed provisions and express lanes in all commercial and government establishments.

LEARNING MORE…

If you want to learn more about the senior citizen benefits and person with disability privileges in the Philippines, you can check out the following links:

Senior Citizens

People With Disabilities

Above are just a few of the benefits and privileges of senior citizens and people with disabilities. Please help spread the word so that more people will know about this.

Lastly, all information stated here comes from personal research. So kindly leave a comment below if you see any mistake so that I can correct them. Thank you.

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Photo credits: laruth and welsnet

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68 comments

  1. Funny, I remember how my mom would ask for a senior citizen’s discount when she rides a bus. Some drivers and ‘conductors’ won’t ask to see the id’s anymore and just base it on how the persons look, so my mom would smile and say,’don’t I look like a senior citizen to you?’…it’s more fun in the Philippines 🙂

  2. Alam nyo kayo lang sa net may ganitong article that fully discuss yung benefits pala,

    Just wanna ask, Sa PWD Does SM groceries,Unimart, Restos, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, (basta yung mga known establishments), Transpo (MRT/LRT) Really do gives discounts sa PWD?

    Magkano kaya discounts nun?

    Na curious lang naman,

  5. Yung PWD po ba pwede sa mga supermarkets like ROBINSON,SM, PUREGOLD.,pwede ren po ba ito sa mga high end establishments, private hospitals…. Shopping malls.
    Just asking lang po. Thank you .

  7. can I use my PWD ID while paying my radiation therapy in Chinese Ge.Hospital? and how much discount should I claim?

  8. anyone knows of a sample form used in availing senior citizen discount in restaurants? the small paper/slip where the senior citizen would sign?

  9. May grandmother will be having her 100yr birthday on may 2014, someone told me, may benefits or may cash na makukuha ang 1 centennial person if she reaches this age…is this true? please help me….

  10. Hello po sa lahat,
    “Ask ko lang po”
    Ang magulang ko po ay senior citizen na 63 years old, kami po ay located dito sa Batangas,nais lang po naming malaman kung magkano po ba ang fixed amount na dapat tanggapin ng isang senior citizen quarterly?kasi ang isa po sa aming common friend from pasig city is receiving an amount of 3000 pesos,why is it here in the province is only 500 pesos? and not all senior citizen is receiving money including my mother.even single cents shes did not received from the time that she become a senior citizen.One of my source says ” when you reached the age of 74 as the age of senior citizen, that’s the only time you could possibly received the money”.,is it true?as far as we know if the person reaches the age of 60 above she is considered senior citizen right?..and lastly want to ask where does the senior citizen going to claim their quarterly income if there is?looking forward for your response.

  11. Jollibee Tandang Sora Visayas do not honor PWD card according to my spouse as told by manager and cashier Bheng Nunga last May 01, 2014, 11;51am, OR#678798.

  12. Is it required by law for malls to provide parking spaces for senior citizens in malls?

  14. Polio victim po ako, kailangan po ba ang medical certificate para makaluha ng pwd discount card? Salamat po.

  15. With regard to free parking. My husband and I are both senior citizens, who live and with senior citizen ID’s issued at Marikina. When we went to Cubao SM, the parking collector refused to accept our ID for the exemption of parking fees claiming that only senior citizens who resides in Quezon City has the privelege to claim such. Is this true?

  16. hi im planning to retire from my job soon. i am retiring after 10 years of service and i learned that the retirement benefit will be taxed 35%. I would like to see if theres a way that they can give me exemption or atleast lower the percentage since I am person with disability. I have Lupus and is now have difficulty on using my hands and very much challenged because of my health condition.

  17. In Cebu City and all provincial municipalities, senior citizens, 60 and above are entitled to receive a monthly or yearly benefits in the form of CASH. My question is, Is this benefit given to all registered senior citizens across the board or is ther3 any exceptions with regards to the financial situation of the seniors. Please reply. Thanks.

  18. Ang mother kpo ay 97 yrs.na sbi po my monthly binibigay s senior my id nman po siya wla nman po siya natatanggap san po ba pwedeng mag tanong tungkol dito.

  19. Cashier po ako sa isang foodcourt..me foriegner akunh customer na wala xang idna senior citizen card..nagpresent siya ng ibang id na nagpapatunay na senior siya.tinanggap ko un…pero dko lubos maisip tinakot nya ako.na magsusumbong daw siya..sa kadahilanang.dalawa ang inorder nyang meals.kc me kasama siyang girl.ang gusto nyang mangyari ung dalawang meal na un ay dapat discounted.hiningi ko ang isang card wala xang maipresenta gawanga ng hindi naman senior ang babae..anu ba ang dapat kung gawin para ndi naman nya ako apihin…kc babalik at babalik pa din un para kumain.salamat

  20. my programa ba sa mga senior citizens na maka-avail ng murang gastos para sa full dentures (lower and upper) na mababa sa Php10,000.00? kung meron po e ano ang dapat gawin? Salamat po.

  21. My son is 8 years old with cerebral palsy… Can i avail of the pwd card for him? If so how do i go about doing this please?

  22. Carolyn, yes you can avail a pwd id for your son. Here in manila the fastest way is through your barangay as they know you and your son they can vouch for the authenticity of his condition thus will no longer require to provide med cert. Otherwise your dswd office in the cityhall or municipal hall will be able to provide you the requirements. You can easily get a medcert from his doctor attach it to the form that you will fill up for your son’s behalf

  23. just would like to inquire, on the barangay level, fraction of barangay funds (1%) is alloted to SC and PWD, do we have a formal reference on how will the barangay divide the said funds?

  24. Is a pack of plastic garbage bag containing 10 pcs not considered as basic necessity? Where am I suppose to put my garbage? Are discounts on food and meals strictly on a single transaction system only? A lot of business establishments give all sorts of excuses to avoid giving the senior’s discounts. I think the problem with the Senior Citizen Act is its implementation because there is room for disposition left for the establishments to go around the law. While the purpose of the law is good, what are the checks and balance for this law?

  25. Pahabol lang po. Meron dn mga establishmet na nagsasabi na ung binibili mo ay discounted na kaya hindi na kasama sa senior’s discounts. Sometimes it difficult for seniors like us to buy things because arguments usually arise because the reasons given by the establishment.

  27. Anu poh ba ang maaring harapin ng mga company na Hindi nagbibigay ng discount sa mga PWD khit may Id na nai present? I’m PWD so many times ng nanyari sakin yan wala clang pakialam sa PWD ID,,

  28. I am pwd kc i was diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder….sa probinsya po namin sa baganga davao oriental di po nila nagdidiscount ng pwd at senior citizens….paki inform po cla…tpos pag sumasakay po ako ng bus ung konduktor po di po nila maintindihan ang pwd discount nagtanong pa sa akin kung ano daw ang pwd pero nagbigay nman cla ng discount sa akin sa pamasahe sa bus…ang kagandahan din ng pwd at senior priority cla sa mga pumipila…ikaw plge nauuna kahit san establishment….

  29. I have a legal question. Andok’s has recently stopped giving discounts because they are now “retail” stores, and presumably also because they stopped serving dine in customers(maybe to leave the definition of being a restaurant), but they give discounts of 5% for fresh eggs and rice. I noticed that there is no distinction in the PWD act that exempt retail stores from discounting other non-retail food items. So even if they are retail now, by definition, this should still not exempt them from giving discounts, yes? And also… are they not still considered a restaurant in the meaning of the law in the PWD act? According to many dictionaries… a restaurant is simply a place to buy prepared food, and not necessarily a place to eat in, though commonly described as such. What is the answer to this?

  30. what about the pension of a person who died on the 3rd month of the qtr and yet the release of the pension is on the following month, are the beneficiary still considered for the pension?

  32. pwde po mag ask how to compute senior citizen in a group.. example sa resto total amount of bills group of 4 person 1 senior.. wala po ako makitang sample format ng receipt..

  33. larry ang pag compute ng senior, ganito po sample 1meals 1drink 1. appetizer 1 dessert,
    total amout divided 1.12 equals less 32percent. eguals yon po ung discout nya

  34. Foreigner ang asawa q , kasal kame dito sa pilipinas.. Na bed ridden n sya at hindi na makabalik sa bansa nila. Pwede ko ba siya i apply ng pwd id… Grabe ang mahal kc ng mga gamot nya..

  36. who will inform this establishment of the new vat discount. sayang din po kc.
    hoping the supermarkets and food establishments be informed about this bill.

  37. Hi! Gud pm, I’m Livalyn from Valenzuela City mg ask lng po aq tungkol s Hospital bill kc ndi aq convincing s nging total nila. Ung mother q isinugud nmin s Nazarenus hospital s bulacan nung
    madaling ng Feb.6 2016 at 12:45 a.m n irecord p un s E.R. Ntagalan p kmi s E.R dhil under observation p xa tas ipinasok p nmin xa C.t scan bgo Naipasok xa s ICU room pero ndi xa nka survive nmatay xa nung past 12pm Feb.7 nkuha ng funeral service ang ktawan nya nung 3pm. Kung alang half day ang hospital ang ICU room nya dapat 2days lng ang record nila s bill admitted Feb.5 12:45am discharge Feb.7 ang nging rm. Days nya 2 1/2 days. Pwede q bng mhabol p un
    S statement of account nila n hawak q ngaun my mga nkalagay n medicines 4,083.50 at hospital supplies n 3,396 n hindi q nman alam kung ano ang mga un inireklamo q un dhil lhat ng mga resetang gmot binibili q s mercury ang sbI nila ginamit dw un nung senu survive nila ang mother q pero ndi nila ipinakita o nag p sign man lng kung ano ang mga un. Ang nging
    hospital charges nmin 49,699.50 n I less n nila Jan ang 8,400 PHIC CLAIM ng Doctors n dting 19,400 s total amount n 49,699.50 ang less lng s senior nya is 4,930.70 at 19,600 ang s Philhealth. Tama po b ang knilang computation. Sna po mtulungan nyo aq kung un man ay d Tama. Thanks and god bless.

  38. Computation ng hospital total amount at less senior citizen 49,699.50-4,930.70= 44,768.80 yan ang cash n binayaran nmin s Nazarenus hospital kc ang alam q 20% discount pra s mga senior pero ala yta s 20% discount ang compute nilang 4,930.70.
    nka individual nman nming nkuha ang s Philhealth.

  40. pwede po bang magamit ang senior citizen at disability discounts at the same time? So it comes out na 40% discount na ang maaavail if for example the person is inpatient, ang babayaran ba is net of 40% discount from the hospital bill? salamat po.

  41. Ask ko lang po.Pano po ba hinahati ang 1% alloted ng SC at PWD sa barangay level?

  42. Nano asks:
    May possibility bang makaroon ng amendment/supplement yung RA 9994 (sr citizens law) and RA 9442 (magna carta for PWDs) to require commercial and government establishments to allot a certain percentage (1 % or 2% of total regular employee workforce) employment/opportunities for senior citizens and persons with disability..Salamat!

  43. how about po sa mga retail store? ex. bumili sila ng mga damit, household accesories, may discount ba sila? at kung meron? sa lahat ba ng binili or sa personal used lang nung senior or pwd? at magkanu po? patulong para ma aware ako at mabigyan ko sila ng benefits. iam a sales lady in dept store.

  45. Yung iba Hindi po nag bibigay ng discount,katulad ng jeep at bus kailangan pa bang ipakita yung ID Kung nakikita naman na disable yung Tao, at pano naman po yung walang pera na Hindi nakaka gamit ng discount ,yung iba sa kanilang barangay gumagawa ng paraan katulad ng pagawa ng candies at iba pa para lang makalikom ng pera para din sa kapwa nila disable ,parang bale wala lang yung gobyerno haha,pinahirapan din yung PWD. Ang maganda po magkaron ng monthly check up ang PWD at senior citizen sa bawat barangay ,malaking tulong po yun para sa Amin..

  46. Ang nanay ko 76 yrs old. Wala p syang natanggap na monthly sa senior’s benefitl. Ngayon more than a month na syang nakahiga .Naging na sya .May nagsabi na nasa waiting list na sya, hanggang kailan ba kami maghintay?

  47. Hi Fitz! Would you happen to know if there are tax incentives for PWDs who are self-employed?

    Thank you 🙂

  48. Free parking ba Ang Senior citizens and pwds especially in Makati ? Kailangan bang gamitin yung parking ID ? Please update. Free parking for pwds and senior citizens was written last 2009. Does this still apply?

  49. Good day.

    Would it be possible to please put the R.A., section## on the stickers for the reservation of seats in the public transportations to avoid unnecessary arguments???

  50. Hi, my wife, who is in her 70s, was recently hospitalized; she has two doctors, one is the attending, the other is referral / consultant… ung isang doctor nabigyan sya ng 12% vat discount then 20% sa PF, pero ung the other one 20% lang binigay at na di nagbigay ng 12%vat discount — dahil daw zero-rated-vat daw sya …. tama ba ito? nasa batas ba na exempted or allowed ba ang mga professionals not to give 12% discount? wala kasi akong mahanap na provision sa SC law?… best regards…

  51. Hi Mark Anthony, yes they’re correct. The application of the discount depends on the tax payment structure of the business / professional. In the second case, they’re probably registered as non-VAT business, so they don’t charge for VAT, which means they don’t have anything to discount on that part.

  52. ask ko lngpo kase my pwd ako ehh my tym n nasasaktan ako ng asawa ko at sisabe po ng mga nkapaligid saamin n kapag nkipaghiwalay ako hinde ko makukuha ang anak ko kase my kahinaan ako anu po b àng pwede kong gaqin

  53. Im Jovita Bombase na detectbpo ako na may cervical cancer at for chemo and radiatoin thereapy pwede po ba ako apply ng pwd thanks po

  54. i think im disapointed sa pag apply ng PWD.. ito lng ang inaasahn ko snang mkktulong para sa pagppchemo at radiation ko, pero ayaw nila akong bigyan kc stage 2 lng daw ung endometrial cancer ko. so kailanagn pala maging satge 4 p muna bago ako makauha nito? UNFAIR.. may mga nkksabay nga akong stage 1 lng pero may PWD card sila….

  55. sana hnd n kyo nag avail ng pwd kung hnd nmn kyo considerate sa ngngailanagn….

  56. senior citizen is not valid for discount without his/her presence?they need to give authorization letter to the person with the id?

  57. Nag order/deliver po kami sa jollibee zabarte last july 20,2017, nag sabi po ako sa call center agent or order taker ng delivery na gagamit po ako ng pwd ng anak ko at senior citizen ng tatay ko ,nag respond nmn po sya na pwde ko use, nung dumating po dito sa bahay namin ang food delivery ang inalis lang po nila ay senior dicount ng tatay ko , tumawag po ako sa branch ang sabi ng isang order taker ang pwde lang daw ang use eh 2 pwd or 2 senior citizen hndi daw pwde magkaiba, nung nakausap ko ang manager ang pwde lang daw nila ikaltas eh senior lang or person with disable discount dahil baba daw sa delivery amount nila. Tanong ko po tama po ba na hndi nila ibigay ang discount ng tama sa mga senior citizen at person with disable? Porket hndi nabibigyan attention ng government ang mga benefits nila eh aabusuin na lang nila sa mali informations. Sana po ay mabigyan ng lesson ang mga ganitong establishments .

  58. Should a PWD present thier ID before they can avail of the discount? If they failed to present their ID, they cant avail?

  59. meron po bang financial assistant kapag member kanang pwd?month by month kasi sabi daw nila meron…totoo ba?

  60. Good Day Po gusto Kong lng malaman Kung saan pwede magsumbong kng hindi bnbgay s senior citizen ang mga benepisyo na dapat sana sa Kanya nman tlga .slamat po.

  61. Some senior citizens actually abuse this privilege by making purchases for their ENTIRE families and then demanding small establishments the huge 20% discount while these small establishments only have 5% to 10% mark-ups.

  62. Q1. Ask ko Lang po Kung ano gagawin if Kumain ang senior citizen with 20%discount na po tapos may take out pa nag a ask PA po ng discount ulit. Is is ok na Irefuse namin at di na ibigay ang 20%???

    Q2. Papano po Kung may nag order po tapos asking for a SC/pwd discount pero wala naman po ang may ari ng Id??? And dami po kasi nag te. Take out Samin tapos wala naman Yung may ari ng id’s.

  65. […] Ask your favorite movie house if they offer any. Most of the time, these privileges are not largely advertised and you’ll be surprised that they exist. But of course, always remember that there are Senior Citizen and PWD discounts. […]

  66. Pg ang isang seniors citizens po b ay umabot n ng 100 years may matatanggap po b n benipisyo alm ko merun po.. Binagu n panukala ngaun n pg ang seniors umabit sa 80y/o may 25k n matatanggap sa gobyerno dw po

  68. pwedi ba na ibang tao ang kumuha mg pension ni Papa Sa senior citezien ey kasal sila ni mama at si papa ay umuwe lang sa iloilo

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