PRRD signs law granting 20% fare discount to students

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signs the Pardon of Punishment to all outstanding punishments of the underclassmen of the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines during the Commencement Exercises of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)’Alab-Tala’ Class of 2018 at Fort General Gregorio H. del Pilar in Baguio City on March 18, 2018. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — Like senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), students will now be granted a 20 percent discount on all public utility vehicles as long as they present their school IDs.

This after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the “Student Fare Discount Act” (R.A. 11314) into law on April 17, 2019. A copy of the document was given to media on Monday (July 15).

Duterte signed this new law to “encourage students, particularly the poor, and underprivileged, to pursue quality education to secure their future and make them responsible citizens.”

“A student under this Act shall be entitled to a grant of 20% discount on domestic regular fares, upon personal presentation of their duly-issued school identification cards (IDs) or current validated enrollment form, supported by the prescribed government-issued identification document, subject to an appropriate verification mechanism to be provided in the implementing rules and regulations,” the law read.

Only Filipino students in elementary, secondary, technical-vocational, or higher education institutions can avail of the discount privilege.

The discount privilege does not apply to students in post graduate degree courses and informal short-term courses such as dancing, swimming, music, and driving lessons, and seminar type of courses.

It covers all public transportation utilities including public utility buses, public utility jeepneys, taxis, and other similar vehicles-for-hire tricycles, passenger trains, aircraft, and marine vessels.

However, the law does not cover school service, tourist service, and any similar service covered by contract or charter agreement and with valid franchise or permit from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Students can only avail of this discount during the time they are enrolled including weekends and holidays.

Transport utilities that refuse to grant the student the fare discount privilege will face penalties including suspension of driver’s license, fines ranging from PHP1,000 to PHP15,000, and the cancelation of their certificates of public convenience.