Other privileges accorded senior citizens under the provisions of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003 are as follows:

“Article 11. OTHER PRIVILEGES

“Section 1. INCOME TAX EXEMPTION – The senior citizen shall be entitled to exemption from the payment of the individual income tax, provided he/she is considered to be minimum wage earner in accordance with Republic Act No. 9504.

“Section 2. EXEMPTION FROM TRAINING FEES – The senior citizen shall be exempted from training fees for socio-economic programs conducted by private and government agencies subject to the guidelines to be issued within thirty (30) days from effectivity of these Rules by the DTI, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the DA, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Science and Technology – Technology Resource Center (DOST – TRC).

“Section 3. FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICES IN GOVERNMENT FACILITIES – Medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory tests requested by the physician such as but not limited to X-rays, computerized tomography scans, and blood tests availed of by senior citizens, including professional fees of attending doctors in all government hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, and home health care services, shall be provided free of charge to senior citizens. These shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations to be issued by the DOH, in coordination with the PHILHEALTH.

“Section 4. FREE VACCINATIONS FOR INDIGENT SENIOR CITIZENS – The DOH shall, subject to technical and operational guidelines which it shall issue not later than thirty (30) days from effectivity of these Rules, administer free vaccinations against the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for indigent senior citizen patients. Neglected, abandoned, unattached or homeless senior citizens in government-run residential homes, centers and facilities shall likewise be entitled to free vaccination under these Rules.

“The DOH shall enjoin all government and private hospitals, as well as other health facilities to post, publish or print out a schedule of health benefits and privileges i.e., laboratory and diagnostic test fees, which should be regularly updated. These postings and publications shall be clearly identified in the guidelines.

“Section 5. EDUCATIONAL PRIVILEGES – Educational assistance shall be granted to senior citizens to pursue post secondary, post tertiary, as well as vocational or technical education in both public and private schools through provision of scholarships, grants, financial aid, subsidies and other incentives to qualified senior citizens, including support for books, learning materials, and uniform allowance, to the extent feasible: Provided, that senior citizens shall meet minimum admission requirements.

“Section 6. BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES FOR RETIREES – To the extent practicable and feasible, the senior citizen shall be granted the continuance of the same benefits and privileges given by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System (SSS) and PAG-IBIG, as the case may be, as are enjoyed by those in active service.

“Retirement benefits of retirees from both the government and the private sector shall be regularly reviewed every year to ensure their continuing responsiveness and sustainability, and to the extent practicable and feasible, shall be upgraded to be at par with the current scale enjoyed by those in actual service based on National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) poverty threshold per region as determined by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

“Section 7. PRIVILEGES ON GRANTING SPECIAL DISCOUNTS IN SPECIAL PROGRAMS – To the extent possible, the government may grant special discounts in special programs for senior citizens on purchase of basic necessities and prime commodities, subject to the guidelines to be issued for the purpose by the DTI and the DA within thirty (30) days from effectivity of these Rules. Provided, that such special programs and their guidelines shall be developed by the concerned department within the concerned department’s jurisdiction.

“Section 8. EXPRESS LANE PRIVILEGES – Accessible express lanes for senior citizens shall be provided in all private, banking, commercial, and government establishments; in the absence thereof, priority shall be given to them.”

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