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Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Filipino Times
House Bill Seeks to allow senior, PWD discounts on top of promos
A new House bill has been filed seeking to ensure that senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) receive their 20% discount and 12% VAT exemption on top of any promotional offer extended by businesses. House Bill 16, filed by Speaker Martin Romualdez with co-authors Reps. Jude Acidre and Andrew Romualdez of Tingog party-list, clarifies that discounts for seniors and PWDs should not be overridden or absorbed by ongoing promos or sales offered to the general public. Additionally, the bill proposes that booklets should not be required for claiming discounts during purchases, aiming to make the process more convenient. The measure seeks to reaffirm the intent of the Senior Citizens Act and the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, ensuring that preferential treatment remains intact and is not diminished by retail promotions. A similar measure was approved by the House in 2024 but failed to pass in the Senate. Lawmakers hope this renewed version will finally be enacted during the 20th Congress, which opens on July 28.
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
House bill eyes senior, PWD discounts on top of 'promo offers'
A bill granting 20% discount and 12% Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption to senior citizens and persons with disabilities on top of any "promotional offer" has been filed at the House of Representatives. The proposed measure provides that 'the discount granted to senior citizens and persons with disabilities, including the 20% discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on goods and services, or the special discount on purchase of basic necessities and prime commodities, will be in addition to any prevailing promotional offers or discounts extended by business establishments, if any, has been provided, but in no way that it will require presentation of booklets in the procurement of goods.' Further, the bill states that a promotion or discount offered by a business establishment to the general public will not be considered in compliance with Section 4 of the Senior Citizens Act as amended and Section 32 of Magna Carta for Disabled Persons as amended. House Bill 16 was filed by 19th Congress House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who was reelected as Leyte Representative in the last elections. Tingog party-list Reps. Andrew Julian Romualdez and Jude Acidre co-authored the bill. 'This bill aims to preserve the preferential treatment accorded to senior citizens and persons with disabilities by mandating the State to adopt an integrated approach on how to make essential programs and other social services available to them in an attainable and convenient manner,' said Romualdez. 'This is in line with the state policy of promoting a just and dynamic social order that shall ensure the nation's prosperity and free its people from poverty,' the authors added. A similar bill covering promos on discounts for purchases made by senior citizens and PWDs was filed in the 19th Congress by then Reps. Joey Salceda of Albay, Rodolfo "Ompong" Ordanes of Senior Citizens party-list, and Alfelito "Alfel" Bascug of Agusan del Sur. This bill was approved by the House on third and final reading in May 2024, but the Senate did not pass a similar measure. The First Regular Session of the 20th Congress opens on July 28. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Romualdez poised to retain speakership with support from nearly 300 lawmakers
House Speaker Martin Romualdez is expected to reclaim his position as Speaker of the House in the 20th Congress, with 287 lawmakers reportedly backing his bid, according to Tingog Rep. Jude Acidre. Among them, 283 have already signed a manifesto declaring their support. Acidre stated that the speakership race is essentially settled, with no credible challenger emerging so far. The House is scheduled to elect new leaders, including the Speaker, when Congress reconvenes on July 28—just ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address. While Romualdez enjoys wide support, questions remain as figures like Reps. Toby Tiangco, Albee Benitez, and Duke Frasco have been floated as alternative candidates. Frasco, who was removed from the National Unity Party for not signing the manifesto, previously voiced dissatisfaction with Romualdez's leadership, citing growing disunity and internal frustrations. Romualdez's allies, however, assert that the Speaker enjoys overwhelming backing and that any vote on the matter will proceed smoothly. Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte has reportedly urged her brother, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, to either run for Speaker or head the minority bloc. Despite past controversies, Romualdez's camp remains confident that the numbers and momentum are on their side, dismissing claims of conditional favors and disinformation meant to undermine his leadership.
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Lawmaker: Confidential funds should be regulated, not banned
"We cannot judge a fund based on people who abused it," Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said in a House press conference on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The allocation of confidential funds to government agencies as well as local government units should be regulated, not banned, Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre said Wednesday. Acidre made the response when asked if the LGUs should still be allocated confidential funds in light of former vice president and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo's announcement that she will remove confidential funds from the city's budget to ensure proper spending of public funds. Robredo's lead was followed by Dumanjug, Cebu Mayor Gungun Gica, who said, 'Effective immediately, no more confidential funds for LGU Dumanjug. Public funds must serve the people—openly, clearly, and with integrity.' Acidre, however, said any fund allocation, including confidential funds, should stand on merits. 'We cannot judge a fund based on people who abused it. We must also be able to ascertain the usefulness of certain mechanisms with the merits, with the good that they are able to do. And the same is the case with confidential funds,' he said in a press conference. 'There are LGUs wherein confidential fund allocation is of significant help, especially if there are security threats involved. We cannot do a one-size-fits-all policy for all our LGUs.' Rather than prohibition, Acidre said, strict regulations should be in place to ensure that the disbursement of confidential fund is above board. He cited bills filed during the 19th Congress—in the aftermath of the House inquiry into the confidential fund use of Vice President Sara Duterte, including during her tenure as Education Secretary—requiring the disclosure of audit findings on confidential funds once flagged by state auditors, and limiting the allocation and disbursement of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF). 'The joint memorandum circular [on confidential fund use] should be passed into law, and we need legislation focusing on the accountability of special disbursement officers, including provision for their qualifications and the fidelity fund for those who have custody of confidential funds,' Acidre said. 'We saw regulatory gaps that we need to fix during the House inquiry, and we need to address that. For one, state auditors should have enough oversight [pero] hindi naman po natin pwedeng alisin totally ang [but we cannot totally remove] confidential funds, especially in some municipalities or LGUs, or even agencies of government where its use is based on merit and in related to ensuring public order and safety, including anti-insurgency measures,' he added. Duterte is facing an impeachment complaint accusing her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes, mainly over alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds. Prior to the filing of the impeachment complaint, the House good government and public accountability panel inquiry revealed that the Office of the Vice President Duterte and DepEd submitted acknowledgment receipts riddled with wrong dates, signatories with no birth records, unnamed signatories and non-readable names of signatories before the Commission of Audit (COA) to justify the disbursement of around P612.5 million worth of confidential funds. — BM, GMA Integrated News
