THE City Council approved a resolution requesting the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to amend its outdated Memorandum Circular relative to the implementation of the 20 percent discount for students to expand its coverage to include Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
The resolution stated students who are officially enrolled in private and public education institutions in the city should also be granted similar benefits and privileges like the senior citizens and persons with disabilities, thus, the 20 percent fare discount accorded to them must not only be limited to school days but also to Saturdays, Sundays and holidays because they are still students on these days.
“Students are still considered students during Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, hence, they should be entitled to the 20 percent fare discount being accorded to them by public utility vehicles,” the resolution stated.
Under the policy crafted by the LTFRB, the 20 percent student fare discount will only be applicable to students who are enrolled in private and public education institutions only during school days.
The resolution added considering the rapidly increasing cost of living in urban areas, students must continue to be afforded the mandatory 20 percent student fare discount from public utility vehicles even during Saturdays, Sundays and holidays to allow them to lessen their expenses for transportation for them to have some amount to be used for their tuition and other school fees and allowances.
The city’s local legislative body pointed out for the LTFRB to amend its obsolete circular regarding the implementation of the 20 percent student fare discount to cover Saturdays, Sundays and holidays to address the clamor from students to expand the implementation of the fare discount.
According to the resolution, most students still relay on their parents for their school fees and allowances that is why including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays in the coverage of the 20 percent student fare discount will mean a great help to the hardworking parents.
The approved resolution will be forwarded to the LTFRB by the City Council for its information, guidance and appropriate action.
The City Council is optimistic that the approved resolution will get the support of other city, municipal councils and provincial boards in the different parts of the country to show that there is an urgent and popular demand for the national government to review its policy to make it beneficial to the greater majority of the people.
The resolution was recommended for approval by the Committee on Public Utilities, Traffic and Transport Legislation chaired by Councilor Benny Bomogao. Dexter See/PIO)