CAGAYAN de Oro City’s pharmacies and drug stores should be monitored for their compliance to the national government’s ‘No Booklet’ policy on senior citizens.

 

Councilor Gilda Go said this in her special report during Tuesday (Dec. 9) afternoon’s session of the 21st City Council. Go noted that while big drug stores usually comply with the ‘No Booklet’ policy of the Department of Health (DOH), majority of the small scale and retail drug stores are not compliant with the directive.

 

‘The city’s senior citizens (are complaining about the) incomplete and selective implementation of this ‘no booklet’ policy of the DOH…(some stores) are still arbitrarily requiring senior citizens to present their purchase booklets which defeats the very purpose of the DOH directive,’ Go said.

 

DOH Administrative Order No. 2024-0017 removes the purchase booklet requirement for seniors in order to avail of discounts for medicines.

 

Go called on the City Council to ask the Regulatory Compliance Board (RCB) and the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) to monitor and ensure compliance of the city’s drug stores and pharmacies on the ‘No Booklet’ policy.

 

For his part, Councilor Maximo ‘Jonjon’ Rodriguez III said he filed the ordinance delisting the booklet requirement for senior citizens in the purchase of medicines, goods and services. Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez then referred Go’s report to the council committees on senior citizens, trade and commerce and consumer protection for deliberation./Text by SC with CIO photos by Jomar Figuracion