The Cebu City Council, through North District City Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr., warned on Thursday business establishments violating the senior citizen discount law following a complaint at the office of the Commission on Senior Citizens.

Alcover disclosed that the complaint was filed by a certain Emmanuel Rabacal who is a veteran media practitioner in the province last 29 January 2024.

“The implementation of the law here in Cebu is strict. If found guilty, if you don’t come, the local government’s action is closure,” Alcover said.

He revealed that his office had received numerous complaints on business estate not implementing the law.

“I had them called, I let them understand the policy and RA 9994. It was settled because they compiled. They have to implement what’s provided by the law,” Acover said.

He narrated that Rabacal, aged 80, said in his complaint that a certain pharmaceutical store inside SM City Cebu failed to give a 20-percent senior citizen discount to him.

Alcover said his office has already sent a formal letter to the pharmaceutical firm’s management to summon them to provide them with the opportunity to explain themselves and for the investigation to commence.

The councilor also revealed that he experienced the same situation in a pharmaceutical firm.

Republic Act 9994 grants additional benefits and privileges to senior citizens that every establishment must comply with the law.