You might be surprised—but it’s true: in the Philippines, gift certificates, gift checks, and gift cards generally cannot have expiration dates written on them. That means if someone gives you a gift certificate, the store can’t simply refuse to honor it just because time has passed.
Under Republic Act No. 10962, better known as the Gift Check Act of 2017, the government made it clear that gift certificates must not contain expiry dates. The basic idea behind this law is simple:
Gift certificates are essentially like cash—money already spent—and money doesn’t expire.
Here’s what this law means in practice:
- No expiration dates allowed. Issuers and sellers are prohibited from printing or imposing expiry dates on gift checks, certificates, or cards that consumers buy.
- They must be honored until used. The unused balance of a valid gift certificate should be accepted by the merchant until it’s fully spent.
- Refusal to honor is limited. A store may refuse to honor a gift certificate only in very limited cases—for example, if the certificate is lost, mutilated, or defaced, making it impossible for the merchant to verify its authenticity
In short: having an expiration date isn’t a valid excuse for refusal. If you show up with a clean, untampered gift certificate—even if it’s been years since it was issued—the law says the merchant should accept it.
Exceptions to the Rule
There is an important carve-out in the law: Gift certificates issued as part of loyalty programs, promotional giveaways, or rewards programs may be treated differently and might have expiry rules set by the program.
But for standard gift certificates purchased with money, the rule is clear: no expiration.
Why This Matters
Many of us have at one point received a gift certificate—whether for a favorite café, department store, salon, or bookstore—and forgotten to use it right away. If you see an expiration date printed on it, it can be frustrating when a cashier tells you it’s no longer valid.
Under Philippine law, that practice isn’t allowed for most gift certificates. In fact, the Department of Trade and Industry actively reminds merchants that gift checks should be treated much like cash and must be redeemable until used.
What You Can Do
If you encounter a store refusing to honor a valid gift certificate:
- Politely point out the law (Republic Act No. 10962).
- If they still refuse, ask to speak with a manager or contact the issuer’s customer service.
- You can file a complaint with DTI or through appropriate consumer protection channels if the issue isn’t resolved.
After all, that gift certificate represents real value—and the law intends to protect exactly that.
