“Transport tickets purchased online should also be discounted.”
This was what Isabela 6th District Rep. Inno Dy said amid a nationwide fare hike that took effect on October 3.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board approved a P1 provisional increase in the minimum fare for the first four kilometers of travel in public utility jeepneys (PUJs), which hiked the minimum fare for traditional PUJ up to P12, and the modern PUJ up to P14.
“Sa kabila ng pagtaas ng pamasahe, kailangan masiguro natin na napapakinabangan ang mga discount sa lahat ng pagkakataon. This is why mandated discounts should also be applied to tickets that are bought online,” Dy said.
The lawmaker pushed for the passage of House Bill No. 1142 or the “Student Fare Discount Act of 2022.”
The measure seeks to amend Section 5 of Republic Act No. 11314, which entitles students to a 20 percent discount on domestic regular fares for all public transportation.
The law, however, requires students to present their school identification card in person, which makes them unable to avail of the benefit when purchasing their tickets online, said Dy.
“Dahil dito, kapag nag-reload ang mga estudyante ng kanilang mga Beep card, halimbawa, o kapag bumili ng plane ticket para makauwi sa kanilang mga probinsya o para magbalik-eskwela gamit ang teknolohiya, hindi na sila nakikinabang sa discount,” said the lawmaker.
“This is an exception that doesn’t make sense, and disincentivizes the use of technology when in fact we must push for its more widespread adoption,” he added.
If passed, RA No. 11314 would read as follows:
“SEC. 5. Student Fare Discount Privilege. – A student under this Act shall be entitled to a grant of twenty percent (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 (IRR): Provided, That in the case of air public transportation utilities, the discount shall only apply to the base fare or the price of the ticket before taxes and costs for ancillary services.
“In case of transportation tickets purchased online, the students are also entitled to the 20% fare discount, subject to verification provided in the IRR and the presentation of their duly issued school identification cards or current valid enrollment form upon purchase of the tickets online.”
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board approved a P1 provisional increase in the minimum fare for the first four kilometers of travel in public utility jeepneys (PUJs), which hiked the minimum fare for traditional PUJ up to P12, and the modern PUJ up to P14.
It also approved the increase in minimum fare for city buses by P2 for the first five kilometers — P13 for the regular buses, and P15 for the air-conditioned buses. For provincial buses, the minimum fare rose by P2.
Meanwhile, the flag down rate of taxis was hiked to P45, and P40 in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
