Dec. 31, 2014 – Since a great majority of the elderly are unaware of their benefits under the law, retail giant SM Supermalls is embarking on a nationwide information campaign on the provisions of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act  (Republic Act 9994).

The move will enable the elderly to know their rights and privileges under the law, the SM group said.

Lawyer Romulo Macalintal, also a senior citizen, said some 80 percent of senior citizens in the Philippines are not aware of their full rights and benefits under the Senior Citizens Act and its expanded version.

Macalintal, who won a landmark case involving the use of 20 percent senior’s discount, spoke at the Pamaskong Handog program, a Christmas event hosted by SM Supermalls for  around 1,000 senior citizens.

He said  one of the glaring misconceptions is the need to present to business establishments a senior citizens card to entitle a senior citizen to obtain discounts and privileges.

He said paragraph (c), Art 5.5, Rule III of the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act provides that a senior citizen may use any government-issued identification documents indicating a senior citizen’s birth date and age to avail of the benefits under the law. These include Voter’s ID, SSS or GSIS ID, he pointed out.

Macalintal has welcomed the invitation of SM Supermalls to be its senior citizens’ ambassador to disseminate the rights and privileges of senior citizens in all its malls all over the country.

“SM is embarking on a nationwide dissemination effort to promote the rights and privileges of senior citizens. I will conduct seminars and talk sessions for all tenants of SM malls for them to know the provisions of the law. Senior citizens will also be invited for them to know what are due them,” he said.

SM will also hand out the Pilipino version of the senior citizen’s law to mall tenants and their clients to enable them to better understand the law. “SM had asked to me translate the law into Pilipino for better understanding. It is SM’s way of reaching out to more senior citizens and making sure all its tenants give them the full provisions of the law,” Macalintal said.

During the Pamaskong Handog event, senior citizens from all over Metro Manila were treated to a show featuring the Tiongco Brothers. Raffle prizes and other giveaways were also given to the attendees.