THE government should not touch the 12 percent Value Added Tax exemption for senior citizens, a lawmaker said over the weekend. “Our senior citizens need more benefits, not less. Any proposal to increase the VAT should be studied carefully, but the existing exemption for senior citizens should be non-negotiable,” Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones, a former television reporter, stressed. House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez of Quezon and House Deputy Minority Leader Jose “Lito” Atienza earlier thumbed down the proposed removal of VAT exemption for the elderly and disabled. By intervening in a timely fashion and linking senior citizens to appropriate services, the State can assist in maintaining the health, welfare, and quality of life of our elderly,” Aragones said.

Source: Manila Times August 20, 2016 12:00 UTC