Senator Sonny Angara, author of the Student Fare Discount Act, called for the law’s publication in a newspaper or in the Official Gazette so that the four concerned transportation bodies can each issue rules for the implementation of the 20 percent land-sea-air fare discount for students.
“It is the duty of the Office of the President to have RA 11314 officially published because that is the start of the official timer.”
“Without these two, Republic Act 11314 can’t be implemented. Students will have to wait for the Implementing Rules and Regulations or IRR but that can’t be promulgated if the law has not been published yet,” Angara said.
“The ball is now on the court of the executive branch. They must step on the gas,” the seasoned legislator said.
Section 12 of RA 11314 states that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will issue the IRR for public utility vehicles such as jeepneys, buses, taxis and transport network vehicle services such as Grab.
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) meanwhile will issue the IRR for airlines while the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will set the one for ferries and all other water vessels.
For the rail sector, the responsibility falls on the Department of Transportation (DOTr), which has jurisdiction over the Light Rail Transit, Metro Rail Transit and the Philippine National Railways.
“Make sure that the students will not have to wait long.”
Now that students are anticipating when the discounts take effect, the veteran lawmaker is urging the designated agencies to “make sure that the students will not have to wait long.”
Of equal importance, Angara said, is “the duty of the Office of the President to have RA 11314 officially published because that is the start of the official timer that will launch the implementation phase.”
The senator explained that while President Rodrigo Duterte signed RA 11314 on April 17, 2019, it will only take effect 15 days after its publication in a national newspaper or in the Official Gazette, after which the concerned agencies are given 90 days to promulgate the IRR.
“But the 90 days is just the maximum. It can be issued earlier which, in this case, it should, considering the public interest the law has generated and the public good it will create. At isa pa, matagal na itong alam ng mga taga-DOTr, so dapat ang preparatory work noon pa sinimulan,” he said.