-Says it’s a step toward better healthcare service
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, lauded the Department of Health (DOH) and Secretary Teodoro Herbosa for issuing Administrative Order (AO) No. 2024-0017. This eliminates the requirement for senior citizens to present a purchase booklet to avail of the mandated 20% discount on medicines under Republic Act (RA) No. 9994, also known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
The initiative is seen as a significant move toward reducing the inconvenience faced by seniors in accessing affordable medicines. Herbosa emphasized the department’s commitment to alleviating unnecessary burdens on the elderly when he announced the AO.
“Napakalaking ginhawa nito para sa ating mga lolo at lola. Minsan mahirap na dalhin ang purchase booklet, pero kailangang-kailangan nila ang diskwento sa gamot. Ito ang sagot sa kanilang hinaing,” said Herbosa.
Senator Go echoed these sentiments, expressing his support for the policy revision.
“Isa itong napapanahong hakbang para masigurong naibibigay sa ating mga senior citizen ang nararapat na benepisyo ayon sa batas. Hindi dapat maging hadlang ang mga lumang requirements sa kanilang kalusugan at karapatan,” said Senator Go.
Under the new administrative order, senior citizens need to only present valid identification and a doctor’s prescription to claim their discount. The change abolishes several procedural requirements outlined in previous issuances, including the use of purchase booklets for monitoring over-the-counter (OTC) medicine purchases.
Herbosa explained that the adjustments were necessary to realign DOH guidelines with RA No. 9994. These revisions are part of a broader effort to humanize healthcare policies and ensure accessibility for vulnerable populations.
“Ang mahalaga, napapadali ang proseso at naiiwasan ang abala. Ang batas ay para sa tao, hindi ang tao ang dapat mag-adjust sa batas,” emphasized Senator Go, highlighting his long-standing advocacy for healthcare reform.
As one of the Senate’s leading voices in health reforms, Senator Go has consistently prioritized measures that ease healthcare access, particularly for marginalized groups.
The DOH administrative order is already in effect and is expected to immediately benefit millions of senior citizens nationwide. Drugstores and pharmacies have been instructed to implement the changes seamlessly to ensure smooth transactions.
“Kapag may oportunidad na gawing mas madali ang mga sistema, gawin na natin,” said Senator Go in closing.
