MANILA, Philippines – Isang panukala ang inihan ni Agusan del Norte Rep Dale Covera na nagsusulong na mataasan ang natatanggal na diskwento ng mga senior citizens at Persons with Disabilities(PWDs) pagdating sa basic commodities.
Sa inihaing House Bill 8627 at House Bill 8628 ni Corvera ipinaliwanag nito na tumaas na ng 70% ang presyo ng basic commodities mula noong 2008 kaya naman ang natatanggap na diskuwento ay hindi na nakasasapat.
“Under existing laws, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) were given the joint discretion to grant special discounts for PWDs and Senior Citizens on the purchase of basic commodities and in the determination of the proper discount rate. HBs 8627 and 8628 mandate the discount rate and remove it from the joint discretion of agencies that may have different viewpoints on its grant”pahayag ni Corvera.
Sa ilang Joint Administrative Orders (JAO) na ipinalabas ng DTI at DA ay karaniwang nasa 5% ang diskwento sa basic commodities, sa isinusulong na panukala ni Corvera ay nais itong gawin sa 8.5 %.
“We have to take note that 8.5% is still conservative, owing to the fact that the discount for Senior Citizens were acknowledged in 2005 or three (3) years earlier with that of the PWDs” ani Corvera.
Nakapaloob din sa panukala ni Corvera na magkaroon ng automatic periodic review o kada tatlong taon na review sa basic commodities discount upang malaman kung nakakaakma pa ito sa panahon.
Ipinaliwanag pa ni Corvera na hindi dapat tanggihan ng mga negosyante ang binibibigay na discount dahil maaaari naman itong ibawas sa kanilang gross income.
“the increased discount rate will not gravely impact the bottom line of retailers engaged in the business of selling consumer products directly to consumers , establishments that grant discounts to PWDs and Senior Citizens are entitled to deduct the said sales discount from their gross income subject to reasonable and easy to comply conditions pursuant to relevant BIR revenue regulations”pagtatapos pa ni Corvera. Gail Mendoza
