ANGARA TO TRANSPORT OPERATORS: GIVE STUDENT
DISCOUNT ON ALL DAYS

As a new school year opens, Sen. Edgardo J. Angara reminded transport operators to grant student fare discounts at all times. He also urged the Senate to enact student fare discount into law on any public transportation not only on school days, but also on weekends and holidays.

"We know the difficulty parents face to defray household expenses. Basic commodity prices are rising. This is the least we can do to help our students keep their spirit of going to school and pursuing their education," noted Angara, former president of the University of the Philippines.

Angara has proposed a bill that provides students of all levels a 20% discount. Medical interns, legal apprentices, military trainees and specialized studies students are also covered.

"Extending the provision for discount to non-school days will enable students to still travel at a discounted fare back to their communities, to visit their parents in the provinces for the weekend, do research works and consultation with their instructors or meet with their peers for group studies," he stressed.

The grant of discount to students is currently only mandated on a memorandum circular of the LTFRB. When his bill is passed into law, there will be no more reason for drivers, conductors and ticket agents to refuse students discounts to their fares at any day.

"This should become a social responsibility for transport utility owners and operators, especially for the students from low-income families and those who commute their way to school," Angara concluded.