JOINT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 24-02 Series of 2024

 

Subject: 2024 REVISED RULES ON GRANTING SPECIAL DISCOUNTS TO SENIOR CITIZENS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITY ON  PURCHASE OF BASIC NECESSITIES AND PRIME COMMODITIES

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 9994 (RA9994), or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, amending RA Nos.7432 and 9257; and RA10754, or An Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability, amending RA Nos.7277,9442 and 10070, the government may grant special discounts in special programs for Senior Citizens and Persons With Disability on their purchase of basic commodities;

WHEREAS, the foregoing special discount granted to Senior Citizens and Persons With Disability on their purchase of basic commodities is separate and distinct from the twenty percent (20%) discount provided under RA9994 and RA10754;

WHEREAS, RA7581, also known as the “Price Act”, amended by RA10623, provided the definition of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPC);

WHEREAS, RA8792, or the Electronic Commerce Act, declares that information shall not be denied validity or enforceability solely on the ground that it is in the form of an electronic data message purporting to give rise to such legal effect, or that it is merely incorporated by reference in that electronic data message. Moreover, electronic documents shall have the legal effect, validity or enforceability as any other document or legal writing;

WHEREAS, there is a need to increase the Special Discounts to Senior Citizens and Persons With Disability on their purchase of BNPC considering inflation, among others.

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the foregoing laws, rules and regulations, this Order is hereby prescribed for the information, guidance, and compliance of all concerned.

Section 1. Scope and Coverage. This Order shall be for the benefit of Senior Citizens and Persons With Disability, and shall apply to all business establishments selling BNPC mentioned under Section 2 hereof.

Establishments registered under RA9178, or the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBES) Act of 2002 and cooperatives registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) are exempted from the coverage of this Order.

Section 2. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Order, the following terms are hereby defined;

a. Basic Necessities – Goods that are vital to the needs of consumers for their sustenance and existence. This includes:

  1. All kinds and variants of rice (except imported specialty rice)
  2. All kinds and variants of corn
  3. All kinds of locally produced bread (cakes and pastries not included)
  4. All locally produced fresh, dried, and canned fish, and other marine products (including those live, chilled, frozen, and in various modes of packaging)
  5. All locally produced fresh pork, beef, and poultry meat (except premium grade)
  6. All fresh chicken and duck eggs
  7. Locally manufactured potable water in bottles and containers regardless of size
  8. Fresh and processed milk (excluding foods for special medical purposes)
  9. Locally produced fresh vegetables including root crops
  10. All kinds of fresh fruits
  11. Locally manufactured instant noodles
  12. Locally produced coffee (only whole beans, ground beans, instant up to three (3) main ingredients)
  13. All kinds of sugar (except artificial sweeteners)
  14. Cooking oil (only coconut oil, palm oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil)
  15. Iodized salt
  16. Locally manufactured laundry and detergent soap
  17. Locally produced firewood
  18. Locally manufactured charcoal
  19. All kinds of candles (except decorative and scented)
  20. Household liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with a net content of not more than eleven (11) kilograms (only once every five (5) months) bought from LPG dealers
  21. Kerosene, not more than two (2) liters per month.

b. Prime Commodities – Goods that are not considered as basic necessities but are essential to consumers. This includes:

  1. All kinds of flour
  2. All locally manufactured dried, processed and canned pork, beef, and poultry meat
  3. All kinds of locally manufactured dairy products not falling under Section 2(aX8) of this Order
  4. All kinds of onions and garlic
  5. Locally manufactured vinegar, patis, and soy sauce (except spiced)
  6. All kinds of toilet or bath soap
  7. Fertilizer
  8. Pesticides
  9. Herbicides
  10. Poultry feeds, livestock feeds, and fishery feeds
  11. Veterinary products
  12. Pad Paper, school supplies
  13. Nipa shingle
  14. Sawali
  15. Cement, Clinker, Gl sheets
  16. Hollow Blocks
  17. Plywood
  18. Plyboard
  19. Construction nails
  20. Batteries (single-use household batteries)
  21. Electrical supplies and light bulbs
  22. Steel wires

c. Electrical Supply – Those intended to maintain the operation of essential electrical installation and equipment (1) for the health and safety of persons and livestock, and/or (2) to avoid damage to the environment and to other equipment. This includes the source and the electric circuits up to the terminals of electric equipment. ln certain cases, it may also include the equipment.

d. LPG dealers – Any person engaged in the business of selling or trading of LPG in cylinders to consumers or retail outlets, under contract with an oil company or marketer who owns a brand, and with qualified service men in its employ. e. Foods for Special Medical Purposes – refers to category of foods for special dietary uses which are specially processed or formulated and presented for the dietary management of patients and may be used only under medical supervision. They are intended for the exclusive or partial feeding of patients with limited or impaired capacity to take, digest, absorb or metabolize ordinary foodstuffs or certain nutrients contained therein, or who have other special medically determined nutrient requirements, whose dietary management cannot be achieved only by modification of the normal diet, by other foods for special dietary uses, or by a combination of the two.

f. Specialty Rice – a distinct category of rice that sets itself apart from major types such as milled white rice and brown rice through differences in grain appearance, cooking, and eating qualities. Specialty rice can be classified into aromatic, glutinous, pigmented and micro-nutrient dense varieties.

g. Steel Wire – A steel wire of circular cross-section, produced from wire rods conforming to Philippine National Standard (PNS) 77/Adm. 01 that has been drawn and thus, cold worked. As per PNS 77lAmd. 01, low carbon steel wire rods are carbon steel wire rods of grades 1005 to 1023.lt can be classified into three types such as follows:

1. Plain low carbon steel wire – an ordinary low carbon steel wire of circular cross-section with smooth surface;

2. Annealed low carbon steel wire – an ordinary low carbon steel wire that has been annealed after cold working and

3. Zinc-coated low carbon steel wire – an ordinary low carbon steel wire annealed and coated with zinc either by hot-dipped or electrolytic galvanizing.

Section 3. Special Discount. Every Senior Citizen or Person With Disability shall enjoy a special discount of five percent (5%) of the regular retail price of BNPC listed under Section 2 (a) and (b) of this Order, without exemption from the value-added tax (VAT).

The total amount of special discount on their BNPC purchase shall not exceed One Hundred Twenty-Five Pesos (PHP125.00) per calendar week, without carryover of the unused discount for an equivalent total maximum amount of offline and online purchase of Two Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (PHP2,500.00) commensurate to the personal and exclusive consumption or enjoyment of the Senior Citizen or Person With Disability. Provided, that if the full amount of PHP2,500.00 shall be utilized, such shall be spent on at least four (4) kinds of items listed under Section 2(a) and (b) of this Order.

This special discount shall be reviewed every five (5) years by the concerned agencies accounting for inflation, among others.

Section 4. General Guidelines for Availment. ln the availment of the discount:

a. The Senior Citizen must present his/her senior citizen identification card (lD) duty issued byan Office of the Senior Citizens Affair (OSCA) or any government-issued lD, that reflects the name, picture, and date of birth of the Senior Citizen.

b. The Person With Disability must present the Persons with Disability lD, duly issued by a Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO)        or  City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (C/MSWDO), or the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA).

c. ln cases where the Person With Disability is also a Senior Citizen entitled to a 5% discount under his/her valid Senior Citizen identification card (lD), the Person With Disability shall use either his/her Person With Disability lD card or OSCA-issued lD card to avail oneself of the 5% discount upon presentation of both booklets issued by the concerned agencies.

d. lf the Person With Disability is a minor, the parents shall have full authority to purchase the covered BNPC subject to the provisions of this Order.

Section 5. Purchase Booklet. A purchase booklet provided by the concerned office shall be presented to the establishment each time a BNPC is purchased, Provided that the purchase booklet may be in electronic form as may be developed or prescribed in succeeding rules, regulations or issuances.

Section 6. Purchases through a Representative. A Senior Citizen or Person With Disability can authorize a person to purchase goods on her/his behalf by issuing a signed authorization letter which shall be valid seven (7) days from the date of the issuance. The authorized representative at the time of purchase shall present (1) his/her identification Card (lD), (2) Senior Citizen or Person With Disability lD, whichever is applicable, (3) purchase booklet, (4) authorization letter, and (5) medical prescription, if applicable. The absence of any of the required documents when purchasing is a ground for the non-grant of the discount.

Section 7. Purchases through Online/E-Commerce. Business establishments selling through online/e-commerce shall grant the special discount provided in this Order. They should ensure clear and accurate display of price tags, labels, or markings, and bear the same price of their products available if sold or offered for sale in a physical store. Resolving any pricing inconsistencies in favor of the lowest displayed price is necessary to ensure equitable treatment for all purchasers.

Section 8. No Double Discount. ln the purchase of BNPC which are on promotional discount, the Senior Citizen or Person With Disability can avail of the establishment’s offered discount or the 5% discount provided herein, whichever is higher and more favorable. The establishment must present to the Senior Citizen or Person with Disability the regular price of the BNPC concerned for information and reference of the Senior Citizen and Person with Disability.

Section 9. Complaints Handling. All complaints pertaining to violation of this Order, shall be directed to the concerned OSCA, PDAO or C/MSWDO, as applicable. For resolving complaints involving online purchases, the Complaints handling mechanism under Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01, Series of 2022 or the “Guidelines on the Provision of the Mandatory Statutory Benefits and Privileges of the Senior Citizens and Persons With Disabilities on their Purchases Through Online (E-Commerce) and Phone Call/SMS” shall govern.

Section 10. Penalties. Failure, refusal or delay in providing the special discount shall be penalized in accordance with M9994 or M9442, as applicable.

Section 11. Separability Clause. ln the event that certain provisions of this Order are declared unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected by such declaration.

Section 12, Repealing Clause. All issuances which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 13. Publication and Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation. Three (3) copies of this Order shall be sent to the National Administrative Register at the University of the Philippines Law Center and the Official Gazette.

 

Issued this 21st day of March in Makati city, Philippines.

 

APPROVED BY

 

ALFREDO E. PASCUAL
Secretary
Department of Trade and lndustry

 

RAPHAEL P.M. LOTILLA
Secretary
Department of Energy

 

FRANCISCO P. TIU LAUREL, JR.
Secretary
Department of Agriculture

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