Photo courtesy of Sen. Grace Poe's office

MANILA - Sen. Grace Poe said Friday she filed a bill seeking a 20-percent discount and value added tax exemptions for poor children aged 12 and below.

Poe's proposal came as President Rodrigo Duterte seeks additional revenue sources to offset a planned reduction in income taxes to provide relief for the poor and the middle class.

“This proposed legislation would surely help every poor Filipino family’s financial constraints, raise their level of living and improve their quality of life,” Poe said of Senate Bill 1295 or the Junior Citizens Act of 2017.

Under Poe's proposal, "junior citizens," whose family's annual income doesn't exceed P250,000, will enjoy a 20-percent discount and VAT exemption on medicine, vaccines and essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment.

The same discounts will apply on movie, concert and amusement park tickets and on funeral and burial services, according to a statement from her office.