Go backs QR Code-Based Senior Citizen ID system

Councilor Gilda O. Go, chairperson of the City Council committee on senior citizens, welcomed the city government’s rollout of the QR code-enabled senior citizen identification system as a step toward improving the delivery of services to the sector.

The initiative was launched through the joint efforts of the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), the City Social Welfare and Development Department (CSWDD), and the City Management Information Systems and Innovation Department (CMISID).

The new system provides a more secure and efficient way of verifying senior citizen IDs through encrypted QR code technology, Go said.

She added that it will curb the use of counterfeit IDs, improve the city's database of senior citizens, facilitate compliance by establishments granting mandatory discounts, and reduce fraudulent transactions affecting both businesses and government.

The digital platform supports the implementation of Republic Act No. 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, by helping ensure the proper grant of discounts and VAT exemptions to qualified senior citizens.

It also reinforces data protection under Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, while complementing efforts to prevent the falsification and misuse of government-issued identification cards.

Under the city government's guidelines, Senior Citizen IDs issued in 2024 or earlier are eligible for replacement with the new QR code-enabled IDs, while those issued from 2025 until April 30, 2026, will become eligible beginning in 2027.

Qualified senior citizens are advised to coordinate with the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs for the replacement schedule and requirements. (JAO/SP)