Drivers told to honor 20 percent students fare discount even on weekends, holidays

CDN FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Students are entitled to avail of the 20 percent fare discount when taking public utility vehicles (PUVs) even during weekends or holidays.

Cebu City Councilor and Committee on Transportation and Communication chairman James Anthony Cuenco said drivers should honor this privilege.

And to make sure that this is not ignored, members of the Cebu City Council passed during their regular session on September 7, 2022 a resolution by Cuenco directing all public transportation operators, cooperatives, and companies to strictly comply with the grant of 20 percent discount on domestic regular fares to all students.

In a resolution, Cuenco said, there is a need to remind the public transportation sector of the need to grant student discounts especially with the recent resumption of face-to-face classes, which increased passenger volume on city streets.

Majority of the secondary and tertiary schools in Cebu are located in Cebu City.

Cuenco said the grant of 20 percent discount to students upon presentation of their school IDs and other current validated enrolment form is provided under the Student Fare Discount Act or the Republic Act. No. 11314.

With the passage of Cuenco’s resolution, Council members also agreed to request the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) to conduct information dissemination on the matter.

Moreover, Councilors will be asking the Cebu City Traffic Management Coordination Committee through the Cebu City Transportation Office to support LTFRB-7 by also conducting random information drives and posting related advisories near school and in PUV terminals.

Under RA 11314, signed in 2019, a student who is refused the fare discount privilege can file a complaint with the LTFR for land public transportation utilities (except for tricycles); the Maritime Industry Authority for sea/water public transportations utilities; the Civil Aeronautics Board for air public transportation utilities, and the Legal Service of the Department of Transportation for all transportation facilities.

If a complaint is proven guilty of the offense after due investigation, the driver may be penalized with the suspension of his license for one month for first offense; two months for second offense; three months for third offense, and three months plus a fine of P1,000 for each of the subsequent offenses.

RELATED STORIES

LTFRB-7 reminds PUVs: Students, PWDs still entitled to fare discount

Cuizon to drivers: Give students 20% fare discount

Angara wants law on fare discounts for students

/dcb