THE booklet that allows senior citizens a discount in buying medicine is no longer necessary.On Monday, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa issued an order to do away with the purchase booklets.Herbosa said that requiring senior citizens to present purchase booklets to earn a 20-percent discount was an 'undue burden.''There is a need to realign guidelines on implementing the 20 percent Senior Citizens' discount with statutory law, which does not require the use of a purchase booklet to avail the 20 percent discount on medicines,' the order stated.Any partial filing of medicines by the establishment's pharmacist will indicate the quantity partially filled and the unfilled balance on the prescription.The senior citizen 'shall retain the partially filled prescription and present the same later to complete the prescribed quantity,' the order noted.In a statement, Herbosa said the removal of the booklet requirement was President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s and the Department of Health's (DOH) 'gift of convenience' and more affordable medicines to all senior citizens.'I am also a senior citizen. I know it is hard to always bring a purchase booklet with you. Seniors need the discount on their medicines, and we must make it easy for them to get that,' Herbosa said.Several lawmakers lauded the DOH for doing away with the booklet requirement.House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Joey Salceda said the removal of the booklet was a 'long overdue change' after he had requested it during the House Joint Committee hearings on benefits for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and solo parents.
