Oro youth group hails bill on fare discounts

A GROUP of young people in Cagayan de Oro hailed the measure implementing fare discounts to students even on weekends, holidays and semestral breaks.

“I hope it will be given weight in Congress because most of the students have a hard time asking penny from their parents when they need to do educational researches, participate activities in school and attend classes even on weekends and holidays,” Loui S. Maliza, president of the Youth and Media Basketers Association (Yamba), said after learning that the proposed bill is still pending before Congress since 2010.

Maliza even called on national and local leaders to support the bill once its revival is pushed in Congress.

“It should be institutionalized as thousands of students would really appreciate it,” Maliza said.

“We were so happy learning about the bill. I even announced it to the members during our regular basketball practice at the Capitol and they positively reacted about the measure,” Maliza added.

Yamba is a group of basketball enthusiasts composing young students and media practitioners in Cagayan de Oro.

On Thursday, Aurora Representative Sonny Angara urged the House of Representatives to swiftly act on his House Bill 90, whereby all students will be entitled to a 20 percent discount on regular fares on land, sea and air transport.

Angara said the measure has been pending before the House committee on transportation since July 2010.

"This is one effective way of keeping our students in school, especially those who are compelled to stop schooling because of financial woes and economic difficulty," he said.

Angara, chairman of the House committee on higher and technical education, said that under his bill, students shall be entitled to the discount upon presentation of their duly issued school identification cards, current enrollment forms or other documents to properly establish their identity.

He appealed to all public utility vehicle (PUV) owners, airline and sea line operators, and mass rail transit administrators to be "participants" to this "nation-building efforts" by not opposing the measure.

The lawmaker said its early passage would pave the way to lessen the financial burden of the students and their parents, and would help them enormously in their pursuit of completing their education.

"Students usually undertake academic researches, projects and group study activities during weekends. This is also the time for most of them to return to their respective provinces and localities to help their parents in household chores and family-related duties," Angara said.

Based on Memorandum Circular 2011-004 issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, students get to enjoy a 20-percent fare discount in PUVs, applicable only on weekdays from June to March, and during summer classes.

If the measure is signed into law, students who are refused to avail of the fare discounts can directly submit their complaints to the Department of Transportation and Communications. (With Sunnex)