LAWMAKERS have filed a measure granting discount privileges in transportation fares and health services to public school teachers.
In filing House Bill 801, Ako-Bicol party-list Reps. Alfredo Garbin Jr. and Christopher Co proposed that government-owned and -controlled corporations or private entities, owning, operating or managing public transport facilities be required to give public school teachers a 20-percent discount on all transportation fares within the country.
The bill to be known as “An Act Granting Discount Privileges And Other Benefits To Public School Teachers And For Other Purposes” also mandates drugstores and drug companies to extend to public school teachers a discount of not less than 20 percent on the cost of medicines and supplemental vitamins.
The bill defines “public school teacher” as a Filipino citizen who is a permanent resident of the Philippines, an employee of the Department of Education, whether permanent, temporary, casual or contractual, with an income of not more than P60,000 per annum and does not own real property with an aggregate assessed value of more than P20,000.
Garbin said the measure, if passed into law, public school teachers shall also enjoy a minimum discount of 20 percent on rentals for lodgings in hotels, motels, inns, pension or other lodging houses, as well as on the cost of food served in cafes, cafeterias, refreshment parlors, restaurants, soda fountain bars and other similar establishments.
A minimum of 20 percent on admission charged by theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses, carnivals and other similar places of amusement shall likewise be granted to public school teachers, he said.
They also get to enjoy 20-percent discount on any hospital, gym or other facility offering physical fitness programs.
Aside from these discount privileges, Co said public school teachers shall be given priority by government lending institutions in the grant of loans not exceeding P20,000 intended to provide capital for businesses and other income-generating projects.
Under the bill the discount privileges and other benefits mentioned shall apply only to the personal account of the public school teacher in payment for services and goods actually used by him.