MANILA: Senator Sonny Angara on Wednesday reminded students planning to travel this Holy Week that the 20 percent discount on regular fares still applies regardless of what mode of transport they will be taking.

‘Sa lahat ng estudyante, siguraduhin ninyo na may dala kayo na student ID bago kayo magbayad ng ticket sa eroplano, barko, bus o tren. Tuloy-tuloy ang 20 percent na discount sa inyo kahit holidays (To all students, make sure that you bring with you your student ID before paying for your plane, ship, bus, or train ticket. The 20 percent discount is still effective even during) holidays,’ Angara said in a statement.

Angara was among the lead authors of Republic Act 11314, or the Student Fare Discount Act, which states that ‘the year-round discount is available during the entire period while the student is enrolled, including weekends and holidays.’

In case students do not have their school IDs with them for one reason or another, Angara said validated enrollment forms can also be accepted as a requir
ement for the discount.

‘Siguraduhin niyo lang na may dala kayo na kahit anong government ID kapag enrollment form lang ang dala niyo para lang masiguro ang identity niyo sa pagbigay ng (Just make sure that you bring any government ID if you only brought with you an enrollment form to establish your identity before being entitled to the) discount,’ he said.

The lawmaker warned that failure to honor the student fare discount carries penalties for both the owners or operators of the transport services and their concerned employees.

For drivers of land public transportation utilities, they shall face a suspension of their driver’s licenses for a month for the first offense; two months for the second offense; three months for the third offense; and three months plus a fine of PHP1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Owners or operators of sea/water public transportation utilities shall face a fine of PHP5,000 for the first offense; PHP10,000 for the second offense; PHP20,000 for the third offense; and additional
increments of PHP10,000 on top of the fine for the third offense for each subsequent offense.

For air public transportation utilities, the fine is PHP50,000 for the first offense; PHP100,000 and a warning for the second offense; and PHP150,000 plus other sanctions as may be determined by the Civil Aeronautics Board for the third and subsequent offenses.

In the case of rail public transportation utilities, violations will result in sanctions or fines under the existing civil service rules while for privately-operated rail public transportation utilities, they face the same amount for sea/water public transportation utilities.

Source: Philippines News Agency