Moms and Dads

Here’s What We Need to Know About the Senior Citizen ID

by Kevyn Gohu
September 13, 2023

Every person is permitted by law to receive a Senior Citizen ID, entitling them to some neat perks.

We always talk about aging with a bit of doom and gloom but if aging were a cloud then, the Senior Citizen ID is its silver lining. In the Philippines, all individuals who are above 60 are classified as senior citizens. The IDs given to them help businesses and organizations identify if they are allowed to avail of some perks. These perks can include freebies, discounts, more access to medical facilities and other things, varying among the cities. But here’s what else we need to know about the Senior Citizen ID.

Here's What You Need to Know About the Senior Citizen ID

How can we apply for a Senior Citizen ID?

Since Senior Citizen IDs and their registrations are handled by local government units (LGU), the application is usually through the city’s website. Quezon City’s LGU has a one-stop website wherein senior citizens can apply for their IDs, aware that some seniors may have complications that make it difficult for them to avail. Other cities may even cascade the process down to the barangay level, most especially if they’re aware that the majority of their residents in that particular barangay are 60 and above.

There currently is a portal that helps redirect seniors or their assistants to the different localities to apply.

What they usually need is one ID photo and one valid government ID to apply. Some may request barangay clearance though just to certify where their permanent address is.

Perks of having a Senior Citizen ID

There are a lot of perks that this ID provides, from financial assistance via discounts to preferential treatment in public services. Some of these include:

20% discount on food, drinks, medicines, and entertainment – Although some restaurants only deduct the 20% from the senior citizen’s order, not the whole bill. Either way, it’s an excuse to take our grandparents out because the discount stacks up.
Free entry into theatres – Only some cities or municipalities like Quezon City offer it.
Expedited assistance for government processes – Aware of how long the process takes, government offices recognize the ID and cite it as a signal to prioritize that particular person’s application first.
Free healthcare – According to Republic Act 9994, all senior citizens can request insurance from PhilHealth to take care of their medical expenses.
Pharmaceutical Discounts – Senior citizens receive a 20% Tax Exemption on medicines which can increase up to 50% if they have a chronic disease.
Free Parking – Whenever we go to malls with our grandparents, their senior citizen ID waives the parking fee. This is only applicable at the malls in the city where they registered as a senior citizen. If we’re in a mall in Pasay but our Senior Citizen ID is in Quezon City, we still get a 20% discount. But if it’s a mall in Quezon City, it’s free!

The best part is that the Senior Citizen discount stacks on top of other discounts such as the business-exclusive ones and PWD-related ones.

Why it’s important for seniors to have their IDs

Senior Citizen IDs help us take care of our grandparents better since with their age comes declining health. Many diseases that are usually genetic in Filipino families are late-onset; they don’t show until we’re past 30-40 and when the effects of our high-paced lifestyle finally show themselves. We see the ID as a reward card; all our hard work eventually comes back to us to take care of us so we can focus on what really matters.