DEPUTY Speaker Buhay Party-list Representative Lito Atienza filed two measures seeking to grant 20 percent discount to senior citizens (SCs) and persons with disability (PWDs) on skyways and expressways toll fees.

Under the measure, the discount will be granted provided the vehicle is registered in their names. The toll fees nowadays are through the radio frequency identification devices (RFID) or similar systems. For SCs, House Bill No. 9644 requires them to present and submit any government-issued identification card (ID) showing their date of birth , while for PWDs, House Bill No. 9643 requires them to present and submit a copy of their PWD ID to the toll operator when applying for or buying RFID loads.

Atienza was prompted to make proposal after his “attention” was called by an article written by Atty. Romulo B. Macalintal, a known advocate for the rights of senior citizens (SCs) and persons with disability (PWDs), published in two newspapers last December 2020 lamenting how Congress abandoned the elderly and PWDs.

Congress amended Republic Act No. 9257 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003) and Republic Act No. 9442 (An Act Amending Republic Act No. 7277 or the “Magna Carta For Disabled Persons”) which removed their RFID privileges by the mere deletion of the word “skyways” from the amended laws.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Jester P. Manalastas