Consumer advocacy group Laban Konsyumer Inc. sought clarification from the Department of Social Welfare and Development on the online platform discounts that senior citizens and person with disabilities are entitled to.
LKI, in a letter to DSWD director of the program management bureau Wilma Naviamos dated Oct. 26, invoked the rights of senior citizens and PWDs to certain perks.
“We are writing your office to inquire on any implementing guidelines in the availment of the discounts of senior citizens and persons with disability in online transactions,” said LKI president Victorio Dimagiba.
“Most senior citizens and persons with disability above 65 years old purchase food items and other goods online and are not able to claim the discounts granted by law. In most cases, the merchants do not know what and how to grant the discounts,” he said.
He said the group’s inquiry includes “pabili” services offered by ride-hailing services.
“In our monitoring, pick up and home delivery thru telephone are extended the discounts upon placement of the order and submission of the appropriate identification number of the consumers,” Dimagiba said.
He said a clear, easy, convenient implementation of discounts for senior citizens would be especially timely with the challenges and difficulties brought on by the 2020 pandemic, the lengthy lockdown and quarantine and the dwindling resources both in the economy and for individual consumers.