Starbucks lauded for giving seniors 40% discount

MANILA, Philippines —  Speaker Martin Romualdez commended Starbucks Philippines for offering on Wednesday a 40 percent discount to eligible customers on all its food and drink items.

The coffee chain recently received flak for capping the 20 percent discount that senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWD) are legally entitled to, limiting it to only “one food item and one beverage.”

Starbucks apologized and acknowledged its mistake during a Jan. 17 House inquiry.

“We appreciate the gesture of Starbucks. It gives meaning to its apology given to three House committees for what they acknowledged as its ‘mistake.’ We also value their promise to henceforth fully support the discounts and benefits of those covered,” Romualdez said yesterday.

Senior citizens, PWDs, national athletes, solo parents and Medal of Valor awardees were eligible for the one-day 40 percent discount at Starbucks.

The Speaker also welcomed San Miguel Corp. (SMC) offering a 20 percent discount to the elderly and PWDs who will use the skyway system in Metro Manila and expressways in northern Luzon and southern Luzon.

“I’m sure the operators of other expressways will match the gesture of Ramon Ang’s SMC,” Romualdez said.

During a House ways and means committee hearing on Tuesday, panel chair Rep. Joey Salceda listed more than 100 businesses that violated the senior citizen and PWD discount.