Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS a &
INDEX

First Regular Session

House Bill No, 6486

Introduced by HON. FRANCISCO G. DATOL, JR.
Representative, Senior Citizens Party-List

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Parking fees in various private commercial establishments have become fiscally cumbersome
for our nine million (9,000,000) senior citizens. While parking fees which range from thirty
pesos (PhP 30) to fifty pesos (PhP 50) might seem fiscally light for our able-bodied
populace, it is financially onerous for our senior citizens who are considered as one of the
most economically vulnerable demographics in the Philippines.’ Accordingly, while our
younger and more economically-able citizens may consider parking fees as dispensable, our
economically vulnerable senior citizens can already use that amount to augment their daily
medical and subsistence expenses.

Moreover, as parking fees remain financially onerous, the ability of our senior citizens to
fully enjoy the twilight of their lives is also constrained. Rather than focus their ample
financial reserves in enjoying the services and goods provided by private commercial
establishments, they are constrained to still consider what they have to pay for their parking
fees. This is unfortunate, especially for our senior citizens, whose few sources of enjoyment
as they age are to walk around in malls and socialize in restaurants. Thus, there is an urgent
need for our senior citizens to be given a reprieve from the financial burden of having to pay

* Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 2019. Labstat Updates: Decent Work in the Philippines:
Statistics on Social Security (Report No. ISSN 0118-8747) Retrieved from
https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Labstat% 20Updates%20V0l%2023%20N0%20 1 %20Decent

%20Work%20Social%20Security_0.pdf


for parking fees and be finally given the opportunity to enjoy their golden years in relative
ease and comfort.

Furthermore, the policy of granting free parking privileges to our senior citizens are in line
with the mandate of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which provides that the State has a
duty to care for its elderly members through programs of social security” and its policy
under existing laws which emphasizes its mandate to re-affirm the valued Filipino tradition
of caring for the senior citizens and foster their capacity to attain more meaningful and
productive ageing.’

Thus, this bill seeks to provide to exempt our senior citizens from the payment of parking
fees in all parking areas of private commercial establishments nationwide.

In view of this, passage of the bill is sought.
6. IR.

Representative
_ Senior Citizens Party-List

2 Phil. Const. Art. XV Section 4.
3 Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. _— 6486

Introduced by HON. FRANCISCO G. DATOL, JR.
Representative, Senior Citizens Party-List

AN ac EXEMPTING SENIOR CITIZENS FROM THE PAYMENT OF PARKING FEES
”ARKING AREAS OF PRIVATE COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS
NATIONWIDE

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the “Senior Citizens Free Parking Act”

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms — For the purposes of this Act, these terms are defined as

follows:

a) Senior Citizens or elderly refers to any resident citizen of the Philippines at least sixty
(60) years old.

b) Private Commercial Establishments includes all business establishments, malls,
hospitals, recreational places, restaurants, lodging places, and any other similar places
‘except for spaces and buildings devoted solely for parking and is not in any way
connected with any business establishments.

©) Parking Fee refers to the pre-determined amount charged by any private commercial
establishments to persons for the use of their parking spaces.

SECTION 3. Free Parking Privilege. - All senior citizens who are either driving or is an
‘occupant of the vehicle sought to be parked shall be exempted from the payment of the
parking fee for the first three (3) hours or the initial flat rate parking fee, whichever is
higher. Provided, however, that the exemption does not extend to: lost parking tickets,
‘overnight parking, valet parking, and spaces or buildings devoted solely for parking and is
ot in any way connected with any business establishment.

SECTION 4. Availment of the privilege. — A senior citizen can avail of the free parking
privilege upon presentment of his or her, senior citizen identification card or any other
documents that establish that the senior citizen is a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines
and is at least sixty (60) years of age, to the parking attendant or cashier of the private
commercial establishment.


SECTION 5. Tax benefits for the Private Commercial Establishments. - The private
commercial establishments may claim the free parking privilege it granted under this act as
tax deduction from gross income for the same taxable year that the discount is granted;
Provided, further, that the total amount of the claimed tax deduction net of VAT, if
applicable, shall be included in their gross sales receipts for tax purporses and shall be
subject to proper documentation and to the provisions of the National Internal Revenue
Code (IRC), as amended.

SECTION 6. Penalties. - Any person, carpark operator, the manager, and/or owner of the
parking establishment who refuses to honor the senior citizen card issued by this
government or violates any provision of this Act shall suffer the penalties of imprisonment of
not less than one day but not more than thirty (30) days, or a fine of ten thousand pesos
(PhP 10,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.

SECTION 7. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the National Commission
‘on Senior Citizens, the Department of Finance, and the Department of Interior and Local
Government, shall issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations to carry out the
objectives of this Act.

SECTION 8. All laws, decrees, executive orders or rules and regulations contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other
provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in any newspaper of the general circulation.

Approved.