Bill seeking 20% fare discount for teachers, filed at House

If the law pro­vides fare dis­counts to stu­dents, why not also for teach­ers?

Manila Teachers party-list Representative Virgilio Lacson proposes a 20% fare discount on all modes of public transport, including railways.

House Bill 4129, “Sec. 4. Teacher Face Discount Privilege. – A teacher shall be entitled to a twenty (20%) percent discount on the regular domestic fares of all kinds of public transportation utilities upon the presentation of duly issued and validated school employee’s identification card.”

Violators will be fined P1,000 to P25,000 and might be suspended for one to three weeks.

Said on the bill, “These agencies and offices are hereby authorized to impose penalties provided for in Section 6 of the Act on public transportation utilities that refuses or fail to grant the teacher fare discount privilege.”

Meanwhile, Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization president Efren De Luna reacts, saying that it would not be unfair for drivers.

“Kung mabibigyan pa ng discount yung lahat ng teacher, baka naman pati naman ang mga manggagawa ay humingi na rin ng discount sa amin. Kapag dadagdagan pa yang ganyang tinatawag na kabawasan ng kita, halos ano pa ang kikitain ng mga driver?” he said in an Unang Balita report.

Another said that teachers receive bigger income compared to drivers whop doesn’t receive a fixed amount of salary.

“Minimum wage nga sila pero mas malaki ang kita ng teacher kesa sa mga driver. Kasi kami walang fixed na kita. Kung talagang ipagpapatuloy nila yan, taasan nila ang pamasahe namin,” Chairperson Zeny Maranan said of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines.

Joel Balano, LTFRB technical division chief, said that they will study the case and balance the interest between the teachers and drivers.