In a press statement, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the DSWD Program Management Bureau has conducted a study on the feasibility of doing away with the booklet.

He said the PMB reported that many beneficiaries of discount privileges, especially seniors, tend to forget bringing their purchase booklet with them, thus, denying them their right to avail of the benefits under the law.

“We support the position of Representatives Tulfo and Quimbo to do away with the senior citizen booklet,” Gatchalian said.

Reps. Erwin Tulfo (ACT-CIS) have issued separate statements calling for the scrapping of the purchase booklets which are used in monitoring procurement of goods and services that are covered by discounts.

Last year, Baguio City Rep. Mark Go filed a resolution urging the Department of Health to withdraw its directive to make purchase booklets mandatory in the purchase of medicines by seniors and PWD’s.

In its report, the PMB said it is “no longer convenient on the part of senior citizens to use purchase slip booklets.”

The DSWD bureau proposed that instead of relying on booklets, business establishments must introduce technology-based systems for more efficient and convenient discount transactions.

“With the fast-paced technology and innovations, it is recommended to adopt an established system for monitoring, storing and reporting data towards and efficient, consistent and uniform implementation of the law and provisioins for the availment of medicines, basic necessities and prime commodities, among others,” the PMB said.