Students may soon enjoy discounted transport fares even on non-school days and holidays under a bill filed by Rep. Ma. Victoria Sy-Alvarado of the National Unity Party (NUP).
Alvarado (1st district, Bulacan) said her proposed law embodied under House Bill 1096 seeks to provide fare discounts to bonafide students even on Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas vacations and other holidays.
The bill covers not only travel by land, but water and air transport utilities as well, Sy-Alvarado noted.
"The proposed grant is envisioned to lessen the impact of the current economic difficulties on underprivileged families and assist parents and students in shouldering the transportation expenses relative to the rising cost of education in our country," Sy-Alvarado said.
Also covered by the bill are medical interns and students undergoing military training and specialized studies.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), through a memorandum circular, currently allows a 20 percent discount on student fares only during weekdays from June till March.
Sy-Alvarado’s proposal aims to institutionalize the grant of the student fare discounts through a law to primarily benefit underprivileged students and encourage them to stay in school.
The Bulacan lawmaker pointed out that the grant of additional fare discounts to students would help them and their parents cope with the planned P10 rate hike at the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) facilities in September.
Under HB 1096, students will be granted fare discounts of up to 20 percent on the use of land, air and water transport facilities upon presentation of their duly issued identification cards (IDs), or currently validated enrollment forms or other documents to properly establish their identity.
Sy-Alvarado said the grant of fare discounts should not be limited during weekdays because students also undertake research and other school-related activities on non-school days.
"This is also in recognition of the fact that during such days and periods, students return to their respective communities to assist their parents and at the same time to get their allowances for the succeeding school week," Sy-Alvarado said.