PUBLIC transport operators, cooperatives and companies have been reminded to strictly comply with the mandatory 20 percent discount on domestic regular fares for all students during the entire period that they are enrolled, including weekends and holidays.
In an approved resolution authored by Councilor James Anthony Cuenco, the Council on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Franchising and Regulatory Office 7 to strictly enforce Republic Act (RA) 11314, or the Student Fare Discount Act.
RA 11314 covers all public transportation utilities such as, but not limited to, buses, jeepneys, taxis, and other similar vehicles-for-hire, tricycles, passenger trains, aircrafts, and marine vessels.
The law entitles students to a 20 percent discount on fares upon personal presentation of their duly issued school IDs or current validated enrollment forms, supported by the prescribed government-issued identification document.
A student who is refused the fare discount privilege may file a complaint with the LTFRB for land public transportation utilities, except tricycles; Maritime Industry Authority for sea/water public transportation utilities; Civil Aeronautics Board for air public transportation utilities; legal service of the Department of Transportation for rail public transportation facilities, including the Manila Light Rail Transit System, the Manila Metro Rail Transit System and the Philippine National Railway System; and the office of the local chief executive of the local government unit concerned for tricycles.
The law authorizes these agencies and offices to impose penalties provided for in section 10 of RA 11314 against public transportation utilities that refuse or fail to grant the student fare discount privilege.
Cuenco said his office will go beyond reminding the agencies and cause the printing and dissemination of large stickers to be posted inside the public utility vehicles.
When asked what prompted him to author the resolution, Cuenco said that his office received a lot of complaints.
Meanwhile, LTFRB 7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said the student discount already exists in their guidelines.
“Not only them. This includes persons with disabilities (PWD) and elderly or senior citizens,” said Montealto.
Greg Perez, Cebu Chapter leader of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide, said in a text message on Sunday that drivers of traditional jeepneys have maintained the granting of the 20 percent discount.
He said there are times that the drivers give more than the required 20 percent discount and just accept how much the passenger can pay. / JPS