Special discounts available for PWDs

By Lilibeth A. French

Thursday 24th of May 2012

ILOILO CITY, May 24 (PIA6) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Iloilo urged persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Iloilo province to get their identification cards and purchase booklets to avail of five percent special discount in the purchase of prime commodities.

“Try your best to have these documents because you will be needing them when you avail of the special discount everytime you purchase the basic necessities and prime commodities as provided for under Republic Act No. 9442,” said DTI-Iloilo Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist Luisa Garnica, during the Iloilo Provincial Federation of Differently-Abled Persons General Assembly and Election of Officers held at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, May 23.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) - DTI joint Administrative Order 2 Series of 2008 mandates that a PWD must present his or her ID and booklet to avail of the discount.

Under RA 9442 known as Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, the covered basic necessities are rice, corn, bread, fresh, dried and canned fish and other marine products, fresh pork, beef and poultry meat, fresh eggs, fresh and processed milk, infant formulas, fresh vegetables, root crops, coffee, sugar, cooking oil, salt, laundry soap, detergents, firewood, charcoal, candles, and other commodities as may be classified by the DTI and the DA.

Included in the prime commodities are fresh fruits, dried, processed and canned pork, beef and poultry, meat, dairy products not falling under basic necessities, noodles, onions, garlic, diapers, herbicides, poultry, swine and cattle feeds, veterinary products for poultry, swine and cattle feeds, veterinary products for poultry, swine and cattle, paper, school supplies, nipa shingle, plyboard, construction nails, batteries, electrical supplies, light bulbs, steel wire and other commodities that may be classified by the DTI and DA.

Garnica said purchases of said necessities and commodities shall not exceed P1,300 every week and the unused amount for the week cannot be carried to next week’s purchase.

She said based on their monitoring all big supermarkets in Iloilo City are already observing the law. However, sari-sari stores with a capitalization of less than P100,000, public and private wet markets, talipapa and cooperatives are exempted from granting the five percent discount.

Garnica was one of the four resource speakers during the assembly who briefed participants on their respective agency’s programs, projects and activities that cater to the needs of the PWD sector.

Others speakers included DILG Provincial Director Rosario Masa, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Iloilo’s Jose Gerry Hallares and Department of Labor and Employment 6 Senior Labor and Employment Officer Danny Espinosa and Iloilo Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Dr. Neneth Pador. The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office organized the activity. (JCM/LAF/PIA6)