A lawmaker on Wednesday urged his colleagues in the House of Representatives to prioritize the passage of a measure seeking to institutionalize a 20-percent students’ fare discount in land, air and sea transport.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. said the still unnumbered bill, which he coauthored, will help students and their parents cope with rising costs of basic goods and education.
The discount, he added, would provide students, who are mostly non-earners, a means to help cope with inflation.
“This will mostly benefit indigent students and their families who have to cope with rising prices of basic goods. A discount on transport fares would help ease the daily woes of low-income families, especially parents sending more than one kid to school,” said Villafuerte in a news statement.
Under the bill, a student shall be entitled to a 20-percent discount on regular domestic fares of all kinds of public transportation utilities upon the presentation of a duly issued and validated school identification (ID) card or current validated enrollment form, supported by any document to properly establish identity.
The substitute bill also seeks to institutionalize the grant of fare discount currently being enforced by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) even during weekends and holidays, and which covers all means of transportation all-year round.
However, the bill does not cover students enrolled in postgraduate degree courses and informal short-term courses.
Under the bill, a three-month suspension of drivers’license and a fine of P1,000 to P20,000 would be imposed against violators.
The measure also punishes with possible civil and penal liabilities those who may present falsified IDs to avail themselves of the discount. The Senate already approved its version of the measure on third and final reading in October while the House version is still pending before the plenary.
“Non-income earners, such as students, are pressed to shoulder this weight on their finances. Easing the financial burden on services such as public transport ensures that our youth are cared for and given the assistance they need,” he said.
“With price increasing for goods and services this year, and school tuition fees hiking for higher education, a reduction in payment for transport services would be a weight off the shoulders for the youth,” he added.
Villafuerte likewise urged Congress to officially declare November 17 of every year as National Student Leaders’ Day to honor the hard work of Filipino young leaders and enable the youth to gain inspiration and guidance from their noteworthy efforts.
Under House Bill 8328, Villafuerte wants public and private schools nationwide to mark the day through a program of activities honoring Filipino student leaders.
These activities, sanctioned by the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education, with the support of the National Youth Commission (NYC), should give focus on the lives of past and present student leaders so that students would learn from them, and be encouraged to reflect on their own values and aspirations,” Villafuerte said.
By declaring an annual National Student Leaders’ Day, Villafuerte said he hopes that leadership “will not be a foreign concept to our youth but a way of life.”
Villafuerte added that aside from honoring the efforts of student leaders, the day also aims to “foster academic excellence among students.”
The NYC has been named as the lead agency in implementing the activities marking National Student Leaders’ Day.