Last Updated on July 29, 2022 by Marie Bautista
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A reader commented on my Senior Citizen benefits post:
who do not honor the senior citizen discount. Tsk tsk…”

not less than P50,000.00 but not exceeding P100,000.00?
Here is an FAQ on Senior’s Citizen Discount when dining out with our senior loved ones and other issues (like are cigars and cigarettes considered “consumables”)
Dining Out with Our Senior Loved Ones
Q1:If a group of 5 comprised of four (4) Non-Senior Citizens and one (1) Senior Citizen dines in a restaurant, how should the group be billed?
the Senior Citizen is not processed separately. “ It is to be noted that the total billing amount used in the computation of the 20% discount of the Senior Citizen is the amount exclusive of VAT.
Q2:For restaurants, are condiments and side products covered by the Senior Citizen discount and VATexemption?
Q3:Is there a maximum amount or cap on the discount that may be granted to Senior Citizens?For example, may a restaurant limit the grant of discount to Senior Citizens to P40 even if the computed 20% discount is higher than P40?
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Q4:For set meals, what are the rules?
A4:The 20% discount and VAT exemption shall also apply to set meals purchased by Senior Citizens, provided that the meal shall be limited to a single-serving meal with beverage for an individual senior citizen. In case the set meal is not limited to a single serving and is shared with Non-Senior Citizens, the value of the food purchase attributable to the Senior Citizen may be computed in accordance with the formula stated in the First Question.
Q5:If a Senior Citizen orders various dine-in foods, then takes home the leftover, is the order subject to 20% discount?
Q6:What is the rule for purchase of group meals by “group walk-ins” or group composed of all Senior Citizens?
Q7:What are considered “bulk orders”?
Q8:Are set orders primarily marketed for children like McDonald’s Happy Meal or Jollibee’s Kiddie Meal entitled to 20% discount if purchased by a Senior Citizen?
Q9:What comprises the Most Expensive Meal Combination (MEMC)?
Q10:Are purchases of “pasalubong” by Senior Citizens from stores, kiosks, food carts and stalls in food courts subject to 20% discount? Are they exempt from VAT?
Q11:What are the rules for call-in/phone-in orders?
Hence, they are likewise subject to certain conditions: i.e. senior citizen ID card number must be given while making the order over the telephone: the senior citizen ID card must also be presented upon delivery to verify the identity of the senior citizen entitled to the 20% discount and VAT exemption.
Q12:Is the purchase of a whole cake subject to 20% discount?
Q13:What is the rule on the purchase of double/family pizza by a Senior Citizen?
Q14:What is the rule on the purchase of alcoholic products such as beer, wine and other liquors? Are they considered “drinks” entitled to the 20% discount and VAT exemption?
alcoholic beverage.
Other Issues on the Senior’s Citizen Discount
Q15:Are cigars and cigarettes considered “consumables” subject to the 20% discount?
A.15: Cigarettes/cigars are not the food or essential items deemed subject to the 20% discount.
It must be emphasized that one of the objectives of RA No. 9994 is to promote the health and benefits of the elderly. Thus, the State adopted an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which endeavors to make essential goods, health, and other social services available to the elderly people at affordable costs.
Cigars and cigarettes, although considered consumables, are not essential goods and are considered hazardous to the health of the Senior Citizens.
Q16: If medicine is bought in a grocery, supermarket, or convenience store, is it subject to the 20% discount and VAT exemption?
A16: Yes. The 20% discount and VAT exemption privilege shall also apply to medicines purchased from drug stores, hospital pharmacies, medical and optic clinics and similar establishments including non-traditional outlets dispensing medicines.
Q17: Are delivery fees/charges for delivery orders subject to the 20% discount?
A17: A distinction must be made. If the delivery fee/charge is not billed separately, it is subject to the 20% discount. However, if such delivery fee/charge is billed separately, it is not entitled to the 20% discount and is subject to VAT.
Q18: Are toll fees subject to the 20% discount?
A18: No. Toll fees are not the same as “fares”. Hence, it is not subject to the 20% Senior Citizen Discount.
Q19: Are taxi fares subject to the 20% discount?
A19: Yes. Taxi fares are subject to the 20% Senior Citizen discount.
Q20: In the case of purchase of goods and services which are on promotional discount, e.g., discounted sale upon use of a membership/privilege card, may the Senior Citizen still avail of the 20% discount?
A20: No. In the purchase of goods and services which are on promotional discount, the Senior Citizen shall avail of either the promotional discount or the 20% discount, whichever is higher.
However, the discount that must be given to the Senior Citizen shall in no case be less than 20%.
Q21: If the Senior Citizen used his privilege card/promotional discount which is higher than the 20% SC discount, is the sale exempt from VAT?
A21: Yes. The sale of goods and services on promotional discount is still exempt from VAT.
Q22: Is there an additional expense or loss on the part of the retailers arising from the 20% discount and VAT exemption on the purchases by Senior Citizens?
A22: Any additional expense or loss arising from the 20% discount and VAT exemption on the purchases of the Senior Citizens shall be shouldered by the State.
The 20% discount given by business establishments are deductible from their gross income during the same taxable year when the said discounts are given and the input tax attributable to the VAT exempt sale is considered as a cost or an expense account by business establishments.
Hence, both the discount and input VAT that are treated as cost or expense accounts are being absorbed by the State.
It is a loss of revenue on the part of the State when the sellers claim deductions arising from the discounts and VAT-exempt sale to Senior Citizens. This Republic Act is a social legislation which entails a moral obligation upon the society to contribute on the policies of the State.
Q23: In case of business establishments which are not subject to VAT but to Percentage Tax because their gross annual sales/receipts do not reach the threshold amount of P3,000,000 , are Senior Citizens also exempt from the payment of the percentage tax on their purchases of goods and/or services which are otherwise exempt from VAT?
A23: No. While RA 9994 expressly provides for the VAT exemption of Senior Citizens on their purchase of certain goods and services, the law does not include exemption from the payment of Percentage Tax.
It is a settled rule that tax exemption must be clear and unequivocal. It cannot arise from vague inference.
A taxpayer claiming a tax exemption must point to a specific provision of law conferring on the taxpayer, in clear and plain terms, exemption from a common burden. Any doubt whether a tax exemption exists is resolved against the taxpayer. (Digitel Telecommunications, Inc. v. City Government of Batangas, GR No. 156040 dated December 11, 2008)
Thus, the exemption does not cover other indirect taxes that may be passed on by the seller to a Senior Citizen buyer, such as percentage tax. In such a case, the discount must be on the total cost of the goods or services charged by the seller exclusive of the tax.
ON THE FIVE PERCENT (5%) SPECIAL DISCOUNT ON THE SALE OF PRIME COMMODITIES AND BASIC NECESSITIES TO SENIOR CITIZENS
The 5% Special Discount granted to Senior Citizens on the sale of prime commodities and basic necessities are discount privileges subject to the guidelines of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Agriculture (DA).
Q24: What rate of discount shall be granted to Senior Citizens on their purchase of basic necessities and prime commodities?
A24: A special discount of five percent (5%) of the regular retail price of basic necessities and prime commodities as defined under Section 2 of the joint DTI-DA Administration Order No. 10-02, series of 2010, shall be granted to Senior Citizens on their purchases thereof, taking into consideration that said purchases shall be for the personal and exclusive consumption and/or enjoyment of the Senior Citizen.
Q25: Are purchases of basic necessities and prime commodities exempt from payment of VAT?
A25: No. Purchases of basic necessities and prime commodities by Senior Citizens as defined under Section 2 of the joint DTI-DA Administrative Order No. 10-02, Series of 2010, are NOT exempt from VAT.
Q26: Are purchases of toothpaste, bath soap, tissue papers subject to 5% special discount?
A26: No. Toiletries such as toothpaste, bath soap, and tissue papers are NOT entitled to 5% special discount. Only the items listed under RA No. 7581 or the Price Act are identified as prime commodities and basic necessities entitled to the 5% special discount.
However, powdered liquid, bar laundry, and detergent soap are considered basic necessities subject to 5% special discount (Section 2 of Joint DTI-DA Administrative Order No. 10-02, Series of 2010).
Q27: How much is the maximum amount of purchase per calendar week?A27: “Maximum purchase per week” means that Senior Citizens shall enjoy a special discount of 5% of the regular retail price, without exception from VAT, of basic necessities and prime commodities provided under Section2(a) and (b) of Joint DTI-DA Administrative Order No, 10-02, provided that the total amount of said purchase shall not exceed the maximum amount of purchase per calendar week.
The maximum amount of purchase is One Thousand Three Hundred Pesos (P1,300) per calendar week, after combining set limits under prime commodities and basic necessities, without carryover of the unused amount.
ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DISCOUNT AND EXEMPTION FROM VAT AND PENALTIES THEREFOR
Q28: Is there a final guidance or rule implementing the 20% Senior Citizen Discount?
A28: Yes, The Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA No. 9994 was issued to provide mechanisms for the implementation of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. The IRR was formulated by the inter-agency committee headed by the DSWD. Other government agencies are mandated to provide supplemental guidelines to fill in specific details within their respective jurisdictions.
Q29:For complaints relative to the implementation of the Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2010 (RA No. 9994), to what office are we going to file the complaint? Is there any Hotline?
A29:RA No. 9994 provides that the filing of complaints against violators shall be with the Office for Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) under the Mayor’s Office.
But for clarifications and other queries, you may contact the proper government agency which issued the pertinent or applicable guideline. Policy questions which deal with vague provisions or grey areas may be raised to the National/Regional Coordinating and Monitoring Boards with the DSWD acting as secretariat.

Hi, I’m Marie! I am a Certified Public Accountant by profession with an MBA Degree. A Tax Maven. I have worked with the country’s premier tax collecting agency for years. If you have any tax-related Qs, shoot away and I will answer you in a jiff!)
This is awesome to know that they honor senior citizen in the Philippines. It would help to those senior citizen out-there to get discounted on the product and goods.:)
Melgie
http://pinayexplorer21.blogspot.com
It's great to give seniors discounts as most live on very modest incomes. Dining out is such a special event that many people can't afford to do.
Yes perfect! Thank you for this informative post, Marie. Excited na akong maging Senior Citizen si Papa. Kami lahat excited, sya lang ang hindi. Haha!
Thanks for this additional info. I just want to share our experience. One day we dined at chowking and ordered a set meal, I presented my MILs Senior Citizen ID since she was with us that time. Then the cashier told me, it cannot be honored since the set meal was already discounted. Without any argument, pumayag na ako. Do you think tama yun?
Hi, Daddy Allan! Honestly, ang inspiration ko to make this post is a post Mommy Maye made about her Nanay's birthday 🙂 Yung rule sa set meal and how to get the senior citizen discount is stated above. Dun naman sa case where the Senior Citizen was not honored because the set meal was already discounted, I will ask around ha. So far, ang answer dito, although not pertaining to set meal, but on purchase of services or goods in general is this:
In the case of purchase of goods and services which are on promotional discount, e.g. discounted sale upon use of a membership/privilege card, may the Senior Citizen still avail of the 20% discount?
No. In the purchase of goods and services which are on promotional discount, the Senior Citizen shall avail of either the promotional discount or the 20% discount,whichever is higher. However, the discount that must be given to the Senior Citizen shall in no case be less than 20%.
If it is a meal that is good for 3, they do not honor. A lauriat and halo-halo meal for the senior citizen is given discount. My aunt and her friends had a breakfast get-together at Jollibee last year. There were 16 of us and there were twelve senior citizen. We paid less than 1K for all the food. Laking tipid!
This is a very informative post, indeed. Now ko lang nalaman na puwede ang kahit anong ID ng senior citizen kung wala yung senior citizen card. 🙂
Good information, Marie! Some restos don't apply the SR priveleges if they are on promo. Should be the SR privilege on top of it?
My dad and mom are enjoying this benefit a lot and it's good to know that they can enjoy the discounts even if their IDs are not with them.
Yes, this is really helpful for senior citizens and thanks for posting. I' undergone training for this topic when I worked at Celebrity Plaza as F & B Manager.
I think the idea is that the discount should be solely enjoyed by the senior citizen.
They should honor it even to those without senior citizen ID's coz I guess they can tell if they are seniors or not. Yeah its really nice to have such benefits.
I hope that all business establishment will honor and practice this for all the senior citizen.
It's good to know all these things as I'm not familiar on how a Senior Citizen card works. All I know is that, you can get discounts on restaurants and pharmacies. I normally ask my mom-in-law to buy my meds from the Phils. of the discount she can use when purchasing.
It's really nice to know that the senior citizens in this country gets benefits and priviledges because they do need it.
Why are there so many rules? Do they really want to give this privileges or not?
Thanks for this. Just to be sure, any restaurant is required by law to give a scd, for dine in, take out and home delivery? Im asking because Pho Hoa refused to honor my mother's scd because we ordered for home delivery and that is their policy, not to accept scd when its delivered. Would you know wjere and how I can report them? Thanks so much
How many times does a senior allowed for discount in an establishment? For example if they already use it in their dine-in orders and wishes to take out another food in which it is another transaction are they still allowed or be gven diacount?
How many times can a senior avail his/her priviledge in an establishment? For example if they already used their priviledge in their dine-in orders and wishes to use it again in a take out order are they still allowed or b gven their discount?
Can the seniors avail their discount repeatedly in just one store? Like for example scd used with a complete set of meal during dine-in. If they decide to order again for take out on that same day,can they still used the scd?I mean,is it unlimited use?