Senator Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano said Friday it is up to President Arroyo whether to approve the Expanded Senior Citizens Act Congress that has already been ratified early this week.

As far as it is concerned, Congress has done its job in enacting a law that would provide relief and additional benefits for senior citizens who have long been deprived of the full benefits of their 20 percent discount due to the government’s implementation of an additional 12-percent Value-Added Tax (VAT) on basic goods and services.

Cayetano, primary author of the measure, said it is up to the Arroyo administration to decide whether it should sign the bill or not.

Malacañang earlier expressed reservation in the measure saying President Arroyo will weigh the pros and cons of the measure as it fears that passing it into law could dampen collection of the VAT and complicate collection systems.

“Congress has already done its part with respect to this measure,” Cayetano said.

“It is now up to President Arroyo to decide whether her government is willing to provide relief to our elderly who have long been deprived of the full benefits of the 20-percent senior citizens discount because of the 12-percent VAT,” she added. (Hannah L. Torregoza)