The Senate has passed on third and final reading a bill that seeks to expand the privileges of senior citizens and exempt them from the 12 percent Value-Added Tax (VAT), while the House of Representatives passed its version of the anti-cybercrime law seeking heavier penalties against computer and internet-related fraud, child pornography and cybersex.

Senate Committee on Social Justice Chairperson Sen. Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano expressed confidence Congress would pass Senate Bill 3561 or the proposed Expanded Senior Citizens Act before it adjourns for the election campaign period.

She said the bicameral version of the measure may be ironed out and ready for President Arroyo’s signature before Congress adjourns February 5.

The House of Representatives has passed its version, House Bill 6390, with Reps. Reynaldo Uy and Eduardo Zialcita as principal sponsor and author, respectively.

Senators Edgardo Angara and Loren Legarda, along with Cayetano, have been nominated by the Senate to the bicameral conference committee that will reconcile the Senate and House versions.

“This is good news for our senior citizens who have been clamoring for the passage of the measure. By exempting them from the 12 percent VAT, our elderly will now be able to fully avail of the 20 percent senior citizens discount that was originally envisioned for them under the Senior Citizens Act (RA 7342),” Cayetano said.

Aside from the VAT exemption, the measure mandates the Department of Health to provide free vaccination against influenza virus pneumococcal disease for indigent senior citizens.

The bill also mandates the Department of Social Work and Development to provide a P2,000 death benefit assistance to the family of deceased indigent senior citizens.

Indigent senior citizens identified by the DSWD shall likewise be entitled to a monthly stipend of P1,500 to augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs under the proposed law, as well as the establishment of a senior citizens ward in every government hospital and the coverage of indigent senior citizens under the National Health Insurance Program or PhilHealth.

Likewise, the measure calls on local government units to prioritize senior citizens for assistance in case of economic shocks, disasters and calamities, and to provide representation in the locality’s Office for Senior Citizens Affairs.

The House of Representatives for its part approved on third and final reading its version of the anti-cybercrime law.

Deputy Speaker Eric Singson, one of the principal authors of House Bill 6794, said the bill is one of 16 measures the Lower House is expected to dispose of in the remaining nine regular session days starting Monday.

Buhay party list Reps. Rene Velarde and Irwin Tieng, together with Reps. Marcelino Teodoro (Lakas-Kampi, Marikina City), Isidro Ungab (NPC, Davao City), and Carmelo Lazatin (Lakas, Pampanga), are the authors of separate measures that were incorporated in HB 6794.