Senior Citizen Discounts For Non-Filipinos

[hk blues]

11 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Some people like to travel in the slow lane and advocate capital punishment for those who speed in the fast lane.  Most police (we used to have some here, any retired police still here?) . .  anyway, most police will tell you to follow that law yourself but leave the policing of the speeders to the real police.

I see this situation exactly the same way.  I agree that the law is written in such a way that foreigners probably should not get Senior Citizen cards.  I also know that many foreigners ARE offered them and that NONE who accepted them have been charged with breaking any law.  So that seems to be another law where the policing is best left to the real police.  But feel free to turn 'em in if you are offended.

For the record, I have not had such a card or used it, nor do I advocate breaking the law.  I simply say this is a case best left to Philippine Justice.  As far as I know, they have not asked for our help on this one.

I don't think the DoH asked for our help on Covid either but that didn't stop goodness knows how many topics and posts on it!

Joking apart, I don't think any posters are advocating punishment for "offenders" or dobbing them in, it's more a case of correcting misinformation in certain posts. The great value of this forum, for me, is getting as clear and accurate information as possible and I can then choose whether to act on it or not. 

[starrt]

HI all,

I am not entitled to the senior citizen card as I am not a citizen of the Philipines.

However, I do get senior discounts at different places without me asking for that. At some restaurants they ask for proof of age, so I show them my Phlippine driver's license. When buying some medicines at some pharmacies, I give the clerk my driver's license, and sometimes they give me the senior's discount, and sometimes not. I have never tried it in grocery stores, the senior discount for groceries does not apply to everything, is restricted on how much of one thing can be bought, etc, so I just avoid that and pay full price for groceries.

In the end, it is as all things here in the Philippines, "it depends"...

[Old55]

13 minutes ago, starrt said:

HI all,

I am not entitled to the senior citizen card as I am not a citizen of the Philipines.

However, I do get senior discounts at different places without me asking for that. At some restaurants they ask for proof of age, so I show them my Phlippine driver's license. When buying some medicines at some pharmacies, I give the clerk my driver's license, and sometimes they give me the senior's discount, and sometimes not. I have never tried it in grocery stores, the senior discount for groceries does not apply to everything, is restricted on how much of one thing can be bought, etc, so I just avoid that and pay full price for groceries.

In the end, it is as all things here in the Philippines, "it depends"...

Welcome to the forum Starrt. 

Perhaps you would introduce yourself and share a little bit about living in NCR? 

[hk blues]

4 hours ago, starrt said:

HI all,

I am not entitled to the senior citizen card as I am not a citizen of the Philipines.

However, I do get senior discounts at different places without me asking for that. At some restaurants they ask for proof of age, so I show them my Phlippine driver's license. When buying some medicines at some pharmacies, I give the clerk my driver's license, and sometimes they give me the senior's discount, and sometimes not. I have never tried it in grocery stores, the senior discount for groceries does not apply to everything, is restricted on how much of one thing can be bought, etc, so I just avoid that and pay full price for groceries.

In the end, it is as all things here in the Philippines, "it depends"...

I have a friend who has the same experience but I wonder how the company manage the discount as they need to complete paperwork when they give the discount and the senior citizen card/pwd card had to be provided to get the info. Maybe they just write it off?

[OnMyWay]

4 hours ago, hk blues said:

I have a friend who has the same experience but I wonder how the company manage the discount as they need to complete paperwork when they give the discount and the senior citizen card/pwd card had to be provided to get the info. Maybe they just write it off?

I think when they do it officially with the card and the logging, the business gets some reimbursement from the gov.

When they do it unofficially, the discount shows on the receipt, and is an expense on their books.  If you go to a Conti's, that is they way they do it.  My wife's sister just showed her NZ passport, and I showed my DL, and we got the discount.

[JJReyes]

4 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

I think when they do it officially with the card and the logging, the business gets some reimbursement from the gov.

When they do it unofficially, the discount shows on the receipt, and is an expense on their books.  If you go to a Conti's, that is they way they do it.  My wife's sister just showed her NZ passport, and I showed my DL, and we got the discount.

Any establishment can offer discounts.  I purchased a BFF card by the Bistro Group.  There was an automatic 20% discount at more than 100 restaurants like Italianni and Modern Shang, 30% discount on Mondays.  My total savings was about P6,700 over a three months period, less P2,500 purchase price.  The card is good for one year from date of issue.  The senior discount card issued by municipal governments means the restaurant can receive a rebate from the national government. 

[fillipino_wannabe]

Not good to use it as a foreigner in my opinion, most restaurants would make a loss if everyone got a 20% discount.

[scott h]

6 hours ago, fillipino_wannabe said:

most restaurants would make a loss

It is my understanding that the restaurants do not take a loss at all. When they turn in the signed receipts that the senior signs, they either get a direct subsidy from the government or write it off on their taxes. They might have to wait for their money, but they get it.

I know a Greek/Canadian who runs an Italian restaurant (go figure lol), next time I see him I will ask which one.

[Mike J]

49 minutes ago, scott h said:

It is my understanding that the restaurants do not take a loss at all. When they turn in the signed receipts that the senior signs, they either get a direct subsidy from the government or write it off on their taxes. They might have to wait for their money, but they get it.

I know a Greek/Canadian who runs an Italian restaurant (go figure lol), next time I see him I will ask which one.

The restaurants receive a rebate from the government when they give the discount to a Philippine senior who presents their senior ID card.  That information is recorded.  A senior discount to a foreigner is simply a reduction in revenue.  There is no remuneration to make up for the discount.  The restaurant may or may not loose money on the meal(s) depending on their profit margins.  Resto meals here are cheap for the most part so I woulld not be surprised if they would lose money on the meal(s).

[JJReyes]

1 hour ago, scott h said:

It is my understanding that the restaurants do not take a loss at all. When they turn in the signed receipts that the senior signs, they either get a direct subsidy from the government or write it off on their taxes. They might have to wait for their money, but they get it.

I recall reading that the reimbursement on the senior discount was originally 100% of the 20% discount.  The Bureau of Internal Revenue later ruled that the calculation was wrong which meant restaurants had to absorb a portion.  Restaurant owners then increased menu prices to have the same margin.  If there are four persons seated and only two are seniors, the bill is adjusted accordingly (50% qualifies).