Manila, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ruled that senior citizens cannot claim an additional 20-percent discount on top of an existing promotional or negotiated discount.
In a decision on October 14, the SC En Banc reversed a ruling that previously acquitted Orville U. Ong, a hotel general manager in Bacolod City.
He was charged with refusing to grant the mandatory senior citizen discount to two hotel guests aged 66 and 70.
Ong argued that the guests, members of the Cebu Bikers Club, had already received a 20-percent discount through the room rate negotiated for the group.
However, the Supreme Court found that the guests had already benefited from the required discount.
“The SC reversed the lower courts’ rulings, finding that the guests had already received the 20% discount through the club’s negotiated rate. The hotel was therefore not required to grant an additional 20% discount,” it said.
The Court clarified that when hotels and other establishments offer promotional or discounted rates, senior citizens may choose between the existing offer and the 20-percent senior citizen discount, whichever provides greater savings.
The discounts cannot be combined.
The ruling is based on the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, which grants Filipinos aged 60 and above various benefits, including discounts on hotel services.