Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Thursday enjoined busines establishments to obey laws granting discounts, benefits and other special privileges to senior citizens, persons with disability (PWDs), and solo or single parents.
At the same time, Romualdez hailed popular coffee store chain Starbucks for offering a 40-percent discount to the elderlies, the PWDs, and medal of valor awardees, among other beneficiaries.
However, the 40-percent discount, which is double the l mandated 20 percent, was good only last Wednesday.
The Speaker likewise cited an offer of the San Miguel Corp. of 20-percent discount to the elderly and PWDs in its skyway system in Metro Manila and its expressways in northern and southern Luzon.
“I am sure the operators of other expressways will match the gesture of Ramon S. Ang’s San Miguel Corporation,” Romualdez said.
He asked the tollway operators and concerned government agencies to release the details of the offer so the senior citizens and the PWDs patronizing the skyways and the expressways could enjoy it soon.
“We appreciate the gesture of Starbucks. It gives meaning to its apology given to three House committees for what they acknowledged as its ‘mistake.’ We also value their promise to henceforth fully support the discounts and benefits of those covered. We appeal to other establishments to follow suit,” Romualdez said.
He was referring to the signage Starbucks posted in all its stores last week limiting the 20-percent discount of the elderlies and the PWDs to “one food item and one beverage.”
Mounting complaints over the limitation prompted the Speaker to order three House committees to launched an inquiry into “gaps and confusion” in the implementation of laws granting discounts, benefits, and other privileges to more than 35 million senior citizens, PWDs, and solo parents.
During the panels’ hearing on Tuesday, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, who presided at the inquiry in his capacity as chairman of the ways and means committee, read the names of more than 100 violators, among them malls, supermarkets, airlines, bakeshops, hotels, drugstores, and food and transportation service providers.
Romualdez warned non-compliant establishments that they would not hesitate to exercise their oversight power to force compliance.
“We have granted these privileges to our people, and we will see to it that those covered receive them. Entities that are not granting the discounts and other benefits will be exposed and compelled to comply with the laws. We will also not hesitate to initiate prosecution,” Romualdez said.