Good News for Senior Citizens

Purchase Booklets No Longer Required for the 20% Senior Citizens’ Discount on Medicines, in Compliance with Republic Act No. 9994, Otherwise Known as “The Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010””According to FDA Circular No. 2025-005 dated Sept. 4, all establishments must offer a 20% discount and 12% value-added tax exemption to individuals aged 60 and above when purchasing medicines and medical devices approved by the agency without the need for a booklet.

The circular applies to “all FDA-licensed establishments engaged in dispensing medicines and medical devices, including but not limited to pharmaceutical outlets, drugstores, community and institutional pharmacies, boticas, retail outlets for non-prescription drugs, retailers of medical devices, including optical establishments engaged in the sale of the identified products.”

Instead, seniors or their representatives may present their senior citizen ID, Philippine passport, and other government-issued documents that indicate the elderly’s birthday or age, such as a driver’s license, voter’s ID, Social Security System/Government Service Insurance System ID, Professional Regulation Commission card, and Postal ID.

For certain medicines, a doctor’s prescription must also be presented. It must contain information like the name, age, sex, and address of the senior citizen; date; generic name of the medicine; dosage form; dosage strength; quantity; name, signature, and address of the prescribing physician; professional license number; and S-2 license number, if applicable.

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

A. To avail the 20% discount on purchases of Medicines and Medical Devices, Senior Citizens or their representatives are required to present any of the following Identification Document as per Section 4 of RA No. 9994:

1. Senior Citizens’ Identification Card issued by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in the city or municipality where the elderly resides;
2. The Philippine passport of the elderly person or senior citizen concerned; and
3. Other valid documents that establish the senior citizen or elderly person as a citizen of the Republic and at least sixty (60) years of age, which shall include but not be limited to the following government-issued identification documents indicating an elderly’s birthdate or age such as but not limited to driver’s license, voters ID, SSS/GSIS ID, PRC card, postal ID.

B. Except for OTC / Non-prescription pharmaceutical products, a doctor’s prescription shall be presented which shall contain the following information:

1. Name, age, sex, and address of the Senior Citizen;
2. Date;
3. Generic name of the medicine;
4. Dosage form;
5. Dosage strength;
6. Quantity;
7. Name, signature, and address of the prescribing physician;
8. Professional license number; and
9. S-2 license number, if applicable.

C. Purchase of a Prescription Medical Device shall only be discounted, in accordance with item V.F of FDA Circular No. 2021-0021 or the “Guidelines on the Licensing of Retailers of Medical Devices in the Philippines” and its amendments.

This information is provided as information only. Please consult appropriate legal documents published by the government.

Yakap Program

You may have heard of our Konsulta program, but YAKAP is so much more. It’s an expanded embrace of care that includes everything from Konsulta, plus two new gifts of health: the GAMOT medication program and vital cancer screenings. We’ve renamed it “YAKAP” to show our commitment to a new way of thinking about health—not as a burden, but as a journey we take together. It’s a program for everyone, not just when you’re sick, but every day of your life.
Every single Filipino is welcome in the YAKAP. Our arms are open to all, and joining is as simple as registering at an accredited YAKAP Clinic. We believe that everyone deserves quality healthcare, and this program is our way of making that a reality.
• YAKAP Clinic Services (formerly Konsulta):

° Think of your YAKAP clinic as your health home. Here, you’ll receive personalized consultations and a comprehensive health screening to truly understand your needs.
° We also offer basic lab services and health education, because knowledge is power, and we want you to feel empowered about your well-being.
° We’ve kept co-payments for members registered with private YAKAP clinics at an affordable PHP 900 annually, so cost is never a barrier to care.

• The PhilHealth GAMOT Program: Medicine for Your Journey

° We’ve selected up to 54 essential medicines-and are growing this list to 75-to ensure you have what you need to get well and stay well.
° This benefit offers up to PHP 20,000 per year, making sure that the cost of your medicine is not an extra worry.
° We’ve made sure these medicines are easily accessible at our accredited pharmacies and GAMOT facilities, with zero co-payment, so you can focus on healing.

• Outpatient Laboratory and Diagnostics: Seeing Your Health Clearly

° We know that early detection is key to a long and healthy life. That’s why we’ve included crucial cancer screenings like Mammogram, Breast Ultrasound, and Colonoscopy.
° These tests are available at select public and private facilities with zero co-payment, because your health is priceless.

How to Join Our YAKAP?

STEP 1

Welcome

The first step is to register with a YAKAP Clinic. You can do this easily through the eGov App, the PhilHealth Member Portal, our offices, or directly at a YAKAP clinic.
STEP 2

Your First Encounter

Your journey to wellness begins with a “First Patient Encounter” (FPE). A compassionate YAKAP physician will guide you through a comprehensive health screening, so we can work together to create a personalized health plan just for you. This is where your benefits come to life.
STEP 3

Your Personal Path to Wellness

After your FPE, your doctor will give you a roadmap for your health, including prescriptions through the GAMOT App or a referral for the tests you need. We’re with you every step of the way.

(copied from PIA)

PhilHeath Gamot Program

Filipinos will soon have access to 75 types of medicines for free at select clinics and pharmacies, with a limit of PHP20,000 per year, under the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) new Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) package.

During its launch on Thursday, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Edwin Mercado said it is part of the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program para mailayo sa sakit ang bawat Pilipino (YAKAP) program.

“Dun po sa ating datos ang isa sa malaking out-of-pocket spending ng ating mga kababayan ay doon sa tinatawag nating medical goods (Based on our data, one of the biggest out-of-pocket expenses of our fellow Filipinos is for what we call medical goods),” he said in his speech.

“Kumbaga mga gamot, mga gamit na ginagastusan natin paglabas ng hospital (In other words, medicines and medical supplies that we spend on after being discharged from the hospital).”

The GAMOT package expands on the initial 21 free medicines under the Konsultasyong Sulit Tama or Konsulta benefits package with an additional 54, and will take effect on Aug. 21, based on PhilHealth Circular 2025-0013.

These medicines include “common treatments” for a wide range of conditions, such as infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart conditions, nervous system disorders, and other supportive therapies.

The entire list of free medicines is included in the PhilHealth circular.

To avail of the new Gamot package, register as a beneficiary of the PhilHealth’s YAKAP program.

The registration can be done through the eGovPH app, the PhilHealth member online portal, at PhilHealth offices, or through other channels.

Beneficiaries must then get a prescription from a YAKAP or PhilHealth-accredited physician before they can avail of the free medicines at any Gamot facility.

Any government-issued ID and the doctor’s prescription must be presented at the clinic.

Mercado noted there are 4,300 GAMOT partner clinics where PhilHealth members may avail of the new benefit.

For those in Metro Manila, they may also avail of the new benefit in GAMOT partner pharmacies.

He explained that the GAMOT pharmacies are only available in Metro Manila, but more will be added in the coming days.