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Senior Citizen Discounts: Are You Taking Full Advantage of Your Benefits?

One of the best things to look forward to when you hit sixty is the myriad of benefits and discounts you can enjoy as a senior citizen in the Philippines. For many individuals, it is, indeed, more fun to be a senior citizen here—and even more so in recent years. The Department of Labor and Employee (DOLE) recently put out a mandate on strengthening the programs that provide benefits to elderly Filipinos. If you are a senior citizen or are tasted to take care of a senior member of your family, you should be aware of the various benefits and discounts you or they are entitled to. That said, you need to equip yourself with information that will enable you to assert your rights under the law or render proper care to your older relatives while ensuring they are enjoying the full benefit of the law. More importantly, if you are not a senior citizen yet, this article will aid you in preparing for the future when you reach your senior years. So, start familiarizing yourself with senior citizen privileges while you are still young and able so that when the time comes that it is your turn, you will not be ignorant of what you are entitled to. WHEN DO YOU BECOME A SENIOR CITIZEN IN THE PHILIPPINES? Based on the Republic Act of 9994, which is also commonly known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, Filipinos are considered senior citizens when they reach sixty years old. Under this Republic Act, all Filipino residents aged sixty years or older are automatically entitled to senior citizen benefits and privileges as afforded by the law. It is also worth noting that this law extends to dual citizens who have resided in the Philippines for at least six months. WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS BENEFITS A SENIOR CITIZEN CAN AVAIL OF IN THE PHILIPPINES? Under the Republic Act (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010), senior citizens in the Philippines are entitled to these benefits in the Philippines: a.) Retirement Benefits from SSS, GSIS, and PAG-IBIG b.) Discounts in special programs for senior citizens c.) Express lanes for senior citizens in all commercial establishments and government offices d.) Free flu and pneumococcal vaccinations for indigent senior citizens, e.) Training Fee exemptions on social and economic programs f.) Scholarship and financial assistance for senior’s education in public and private schools. g.) Free medical and dental services in government facilities h.) Income tax exemption for minimum wage earners MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS Under Republic Act 9994, senior citizens were afforded PhilHealth benefits. However, this was further strengthened by Republic Act 10645, which was enacted in 2014 and provided mandatory PhilHealth coverage to anyone above sixty years old. Essentially, this coverage is provided in addition to the 20% discount and VAT exemption every senior citizen is entitled to. CASH BENEFITS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS Cash benefits are also given to senior citizens in the Philippines. Under Republic Act No. 10868, which is also known as the Centenarians Act of 2016, seniors who reach the age of a hundred years old will receive a cash incentive of Php100,000. Apart from this centenarian incentive, indigent elderlies below the poverty allowance can also receive a monthly stipend of Php500, which is a subsidy program by the DSWD. COMMUTING BENEFITS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS Senior citizens in the Philippines get to enjoy queueing priority. This means that elderlies have special lanes in supermarkets, drug stores, fast food restaurants, banks, LRT, and MRT stations. Establishments without senior citizen lanes are required to prioritize elderly clients under Republic Act 9994. DEATH BENEFITS OF SENIOR CITIZENS Families of deceased senior citizens can claim a twenty percent discount on funeral and burial services. Death benefit extends to hospital morgues, caskets or urns, embalming, and cremation services. If the deceased senior citizen was a member of the SSS, their family could claim an SSS death benefit provided that the deceased paid at least 36 months of contribution before the semester of their death. WHERE CAN YOU AVAIL OF SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNTS IN THE PHILIPPINES? Under the Republic Act, elderly Filipinos aged sixty and above are entitled to a twenty percent discount and are exempted from paying value-added tax on applicable goods and services for their use exclusively. They can take advantage of these privileges using both cash and credit card payments. Below is a list of where they can avail of senior citizen discounts: Medicines- Senior citizens can enjoy a discount on generic and branded medicines, vitamins, and mineral supplements (with a doctor’s prescription) Medical Supplies and Equipment- Hearing aids, wheelchairs, dentures, crutches, etc. Domestic air and sea travel fares Public land transportation fares Professional fees of licensed health workers and attending physicians Hotels and resorts Medical and dental services in private facilities (Lab tests such as X-rays, blood tests, etc.) Restaurants Recreation centers Places of leisure (cinemas, theaters, concert halls, parks, museums, etc.) Funeral and burial services for deceased senior citizens

Forest Lake celebrates 25 years of revolutionizing total death care in the Philippines

Forest Lake celebrates 25 years of revolutionizing total death care in the Philippines https://youtu.be/9oVr4xdlvAI Manila, Philippines – The country’s largest total death care provider Forest Lake marks its 25th anniversary by recognizing its top-performing sales force through a National Sales Convention (NSC) held on June 8, 2022 at Okada Manila. Since 1997, Forest Lake has empowered not just its bereaved customers but also its employees and sales teams by revolutionizing total death care—one that goes beyond offering memorial lots for sale. With a nationwide footprint that spans Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, Forest Lake now has over 25,000 registered sales agents in more than 35 locations in the Philippines. Forest Lake President Alfred Xerez-Burgos, Jr. shares, “Over the last 25 years, Forest Lake has fulfilled its brand promise of being A Better Place in a multitude of ways. Our vision is to build a better place where generations of family memories are treasured, immortalized, and celebrated by the living and our mission is to offer accessible and affordable memorial parks and services managed by a professional team dedicated to providing value, innovation, and personalized service.” Revolutionizing total death care As a total memorial care company, Forest Lake provides not just memorial parks, but also cremation and interment services as well as chapel services which includes retrieval of a beloved one’s body, embalming, casketing, and viewing rooms. The intent is to provide clients with the highest quality of service and convenience and through the efficient integration of these memorial care services. Through this, Forest Lake becomes the one-stop memorial care provider. As an added bonus, Forest Lake lot owners are entitled to receive P45,000 worth of Libre Burol services which includes body retrieval, embalming, casketing and chapel viewing, all completely free of charge through the the Libre Burol Program. There is a qualifier however: Libre Burol is offered only where there is a Forest Lake Chapel in the Forest Lake Memorial Park and comes free for every interment service. Therefore, every lot owner who avails of the interment service is entitled to Libre Burol. This means that lot owners, for as long as an interment service can be performed, can avail of memorial services which include pickup, preparation, coffin and viewing for one night – amounting to at least P45,000 – for free. For Forest Lake Managing Director of Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Chapel Services Alfred Xerez-Burgos III, death care is an investment, not just financially but emotionally, as well. “Filipinos want more than just a memorial lot, chapel, a coffin, and a memorial service. When you invest in total death care, you’re investing in emotional support during your time of grieving. Every Filipino deserves to celebrate and immortalize the memory of their loved ones in a dignified manner,” said Xerez-Burgos III. Power of the Past, Force of the Future: Forest Lake’s 8th National Sales Convention With a theme, “Power of the past and Force of the Future” the NSC focused on remembering and honoring Forest Lake’s notable origins and encouraging its people to look forward to the incredible growth in the coming years. Forest Lake also unveiled its Digital Transformation updates through its upgraded customer digital portal, MyForestLake, as well as its business expansion plans for 2022. MyForestLake will allow Forest Lake lot owners to manage their memorial lot investments, purchase lots, pay their monthly amortizations, and access customer information and services, all from the safety, comfort, and convenience of their homes or anywhere they may be. The program, hosted by celebrity hosts Sam YG and Wacky Kiray, was nothing short of a star-studded affair. Forest Lake’s rich history was brought to life through El Gamma Penumbra’s interpretative dance number and famous OPM artists such as Ogie Alcasid and Jonalyn Viray took the stage. The evening included other performances from Buganda and Beast House. Between performances, Forest Lake also paid homage to its sales representatives who have shown incredible dedication and love for the company. Among these are those who have been with Forest Lake for over 20 years such as Pablo Layog who began his career in Forest Lake 25 years ago. “As much as we give importance to our past and our future, we also hold in high regard those who have dedicated their lives to helping the families of those who have passed on. It’s part of our vision and mission to create better places for Filipinos – not just for the bereaved, but for those who have the heart to help them through total death care, as well,” says Forest Lake Chairman Antonio V. Syyap. Forest Lake Senior Sales and Marketing Manager Carla Crisostomo shared as she introduced the tribute video, “Memories are more than just a link to the past. Sometimes they are all that we have that will last. As we celebrate our victories tonight from the challenges of the pandemic towards full recovery, towards the light of a new day, let us take this time to honor and remember the lives of our Forest Lake family members who have transitioned to their new eternal lives. We thank them for the lives they have touched, for their hard work, and contributions. Their memories will forever be in our hearts.” 25 Years of Being a Better Place Forest Lake’s signature personalized service, and family-friendly nature-themed parks have established it as one of the Philippines’ leading, trusted, and preferred memorial parks. In 2015, Forest Lake opened its first memorial chapels in Forest Lake Binan, Laguna for viewing chapels. With high occupancy levels in 2018 and 2019, a second building housing 10 additional viewing rooms were opened in March 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. In 2018, Forest Lake launched its grief counseling services which began as a partnership with grief coach, Cathy Babao for bereaved clients in Forest Lake Binan, Laguna. In 2020, Forest Lake planned to take the workshops nationwide, however, due to the pandemic, these face-to-face sessions were cancelled. Thus, the birth of Creating Better Days Webinar Series. Knowing how the pandemic brought

A Better Place: Why Forest Lake has grown to be the largest cemetery brand in the Philippines

Growing to be the largest cemetery brand in the Philippines Every time a loved one passes, we like to think that we are sending them off to a better place—free of pain and worry from the life they are leaving behind. This resonates with Forest Lake’s vision of building a better place where generations of family memories are treasured, immortalized and celebrated by the living. Largest Memorial Care Brand Forest Lake has been providing Filipino communities with professional services for 24 years now—from opening its doors for the first time in 1997 at Zamboanga to becoming the largest memorial care brand in the country, the company has remained true to its promise of providing affordable, easily accessible and dignified places of rest for the Filipino. Throughout communities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the signature personalized touch and nature-themed parks have set Forest Lake apart. Its mark of excellent service has made it the preferred memorial park of Filipino families and trusted brand honoring the memories of their loved ones. A Place for Every Family Aside from its wide-open spaces that bring you closer to nature, Forest Lake Memorial Parks also takes pride in its efficiently-designed and family-friendly parks, allowing everyone to have a meaningful experience every time they visit. Forest Lake Memorial Parks is headquartered at the third floor of Alexcy One Building, 51 President’s Avenue, 1718, Parañaque City. For more information, email info@forestlakeparks.com or visit https://forestlakememorialparks.com. You can also like and follow Forest Lake on Facebook @ForestLakeMemorialParks and Instagram @forestlakememorialparks.

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CREATING A BETTER DAYS

#CreatingBetterDays webinar series is back! We are inviting you to our financial wellness webinar, The FUNDamentals of #CreatingBetterDays with Edric Mendoza, a Registered Financial Planner next Saturday, November 7, 2020. The webinar aims to boost awareness of the importance of financial wellness and financial planning. This will be a Zoom Webinar to be hosted and moderated by Ms. Danie Laurel. Forest Lake is a staunch advocate of preparing for the inevitable: death. However, aside from preparing for it emotionally and spiritually, one should also do so financially. One way to do this is by normalizing discussions about death and not shying away from death-fueled conversations while preparing for certain contingencies, such as investing in memorial lots as early as possible. Unfortunately, talk of death in the Philippines is still taboo. But fear of death should not hinder you from getting your affairs in order and being responsible for your future. Remember, today is the opportunity to build the tomorrow you want so join us in learning how to be prepared for the inevitable and give you essential principles on why it is important to be ready. Indeed, death is not something you should fear but prepare for. One key takeaway from the pandemic is how critical end-of-life planning is. REGISTER FOR FREE: Click here to register.    

Forest Lake kicks off CREATING BETTER DAYS Webinar Series

Forest Lake kicks off CREATING BETTER DAYS Webinar Series Forest Lake recently launched CREATING BETTER DAYS, a webinar series advocating mental health and well-being featuring journalist and Grief Coach Cathy Babao and Mental Health First Aider Zarah Hernaez, moderated by well-being advocate Angel Jacob. Cathy is trained in grief counseling at the Center for Loss and Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado USA and Zarah is a Mental First Aider from the National Council For Behavioral Health in Washington DC, USA. Forest Lake President Alfred Xerez-Burgos, Jr. in his opening message said, “Given these challenging times that are causing feelings of overwhelm, fear and uncertainty, we wish to help you rediscover clarity, calm, and confidence. Recognizing the pandemic has changed the way we grieve and come to terms with loss, we are offering this webinar as a channel to provide you with newfound knowledge and tools that you can use, so you may thrive in this brand new world by learning how to adapt and create a better now.” The webinar topics discussed were: 7 Misconceptions of Grief – Learn how to navigate through the pain of loss (loss of your loved one, loss of your job or business, loss of what you believe as normal) 5 Reasons for Ritual – Know how to find closure and move forward as we change the way we grieve during the pandemic 4 Ways to Manage Your Anxiety, Fear, and Uncertainty of the Future – Movement, Breathing, Grounding and Reframing Your Thoughts 3 Tools to Creating A Better Now How to be focused and productive while working from home, plus learn how to: Shape your now using organizational tools (The 7 S Framework) Rally your troops forward (The Family Meeting) Move forward with confidence (The Blank Slate Exercise) The webinar audience had a chance to win functional health products from Synnovate Pharma Corporation, the natural products company of Unilab. Apart from bottles of Sekaya Botanic Infusions, Integraid products were also raffled off. Audience members were also given the opportunity to schedule a free one-on-one session with each speaker—the first 10 to sign up on the online registration system are now looking forward to their private online session with Grief Coach Cathy Babao and Mental Health First Aider Zarah Hernaez. Forest Lake’s Managing Director for Operations, Sales and Marketing, Alby Xerez-Burgos closed the webinar by saying, “We hope that you were able to take away valuable life lessons that will help you navigate confidently through life’s twists and turns. We wish for you to feel empowered so you may move forward and flourish in this new world we’re living in. Thank you for being here today and joining us as we continue our fight for a better place. Together let us keep CREATING BETTER DAYS ahead. Stay healthy, stay safe and well!” Through the free CREATING BETTER DAYS webinar series Forest Lake aims to empower its audience with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in our brand new world by learning how to adapt and create #ABetterNow. Please visit forestlakeparks.com to learn more. You can also like and follow Forest Lake on Facebook @ForestLakeMemorialParks and Instagram @forestlakememorialparks.