Senator Sonny Angara is seeking a 20 percent discount for students on land, rail, airfare, and ship tickets in time for the two-month school summer vacation.
Angara said the proposed discount would make the summer break more enjoyable and economical for students and their families, especially those who work hard and regard travel as a necessity rather than a luxury.
“Hindi na dapat kailangang maghintay ng mga estudyante ng mga promo fare. Nararapat lamang na bigyan sila ng regular discount sa pamasahe sa eroplano at barko para makatipid sa pagbalik nila sa probinsya at pagbabakasyon,” the veteran legislator said.
The seasoned lawmaker’s Senate Bill No. 1597 would also expand the coverage of the 20 percent student fare discount to air, water, and rail transport all year round, including weekends and holidays.
At present, students get 20 percent discount on land transport like jeepneys and buses based on a mere LTFRB circular.
According to the youthful senator, savings from the fare discount could be used by students and their families for other expenses, such as tuition and school supplies.
Savings from the fare discount could be used by students and their families for other expenses.
The proposed measure, he said, would bring a sigh of relief not just to over 20 million public and private students but also to their families.
This would bring a sigh of relief not just to over 20 million public and private students but also to their families.
“This is especially more significant to the indigent and underprivileged sector that rely on public transport services,” Angara added, a known advocate of educational reforms and one of the authors of the Free College Law.
Under his bill, all students enrolled in basic and tertiary educational institutions, including technical-vocational schools, will be entitled to a 20 percent discount on regular domestic travel fares – including jeepneys, buses, UV Express vans, taxis and transport network vehicle services, MRT, LRT, domestic flights – upon presentation of their duly issued school ID or current validated enrollment forms.
Students taking up post-graduate studies such as medicine, law, masteral and doctoral degrees, and other short term courses of seminar type will not be qualified to a discount.
Filipino students who will travel abroad for education, training and competition will be exempt from the payment of travel tax upon proper showing of proof or documentation of intended purpose.
The bill prohibits the availment of double discounts or combination of the student fare discount with other discount programs.
Land, water, air and rail transportation utilities that refuse to grant student discount will be penalized with a fine ranging from P5,000 to P200,000, under the bill.