Senator Juan Edgardo Angara underscored Friday the need for Congress to pass a legislation that would institutionalize the grant of 20-percent fare discount to students to ensure they would continue to enjoy reduced transportation expenses in the future.
“If we want to provide long-term assistance to our students, we need to come up with a law to institutionalize the regulatory policy which can always be subject to change,” Angara said.
Angara issued the statement after the Department of Transportation issued a public reminder about the entitlement of students to fare discounts even during weekends and holidays, as well as the corresponding penalties for operators and drivers of public utility vehicles who violate such regulation.
In October last year, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board issued a memorandum circular stating that “students can avail [themselves] of the 20 percent discount from Monday to Sunday, including summer breaks, legal and special holidays.”
Failure to provide the fare discount is a franchise violation that carries a penalty of a fine of P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 and their vehicles impounded for one month for the second offense, and P15,000 and cancellation of franchise for the third offense.
According to Angara, there is always a possibility that the student fare discount may not be enforced effectively since it is just based on a circular issued by the LTFRB.
Angara reiterated his call for his colleagues in the Senate to fast-track the approval of his bill that expands and institutionalizes the 20-percent transport fare discount given to students.
Angara, vice chairman of the Senate Education Committee, filed Senate Bill 945 that covers not only land transport but also MRT, LRT, airplanes, and passenger ships all-year round.
He renewed his call for the immediate passage of the bill as students throughout the country trooped back to school early this week.
“Let’s lessen a bit the hardship of parents in sending their children to school. One way is to help our students by cutting their transportation expenses. The money saved from the fare discount can be used for other school requirements,” Angara said.
He added: “We always say that the youth is the future of the country. Let’s make this come true by investing adequately on our students.”