Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11314)
The short title of Republic Act No. 11314 is the "Student Fare Discount Act."
The Act implements Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution on the right to quality education and Paragraph 3, Section 2 of the same Article on establishing scholarships, loans, subsidies, and incentives to deserving students, especially the underprivileged.
A student is any Filipino citizen currently enrolled in a duly authorized elementary, secondary, technical-vocational, or higher education institution, excluding those enrolled in postgraduate courses and informal short-term courses such as dancing, swimming, music, driving lessons, or seminar-type courses.
It covers all public transportation utilities like public utility buses (PUBs), public utility jeepneys (PUJs), taxis, tricycles, passenger trains, aircraft, and marine vessels, excluding school service, shuttle service, tourist service, and services covered by contract or charter agreements with a valid LTFRB franchise or permit.
Students are entitled to a twenty percent (20%) discount on domestic regular fares upon presentation of a valid school ID or enrollment form and government-issued ID. For air transportation, the discount applies only to the base fare before taxes and ancillary costs.
No, students cannot claim the fare discount if they are receiving a higher discount from other existing laws, transportation utilities, or combined discount programs.
Penalties vary: for land transport drivers, license suspension and fines; for owners/operators, fines, impounding, and CPC cancellation; for sea/water transport owners/operators, escalating fines; for air transport, fines and possible further sanctions; for rail transport, fines and possible cancellation of CPC or permits.
Complaints can be filed with LTFRB for land transport (except tricycles), MARINA for sea/water transport, CAB for air transport, DOTr for rail transport, and the local chief executive for tricycles.
Within 90 days from effectivity, LTFRB, MARINA, CAB, and DOTr must promulgate implementing rules and regulations (IRR) specific to their sectors, in consultation with relevant government agencies and stakeholders.
Persons using falsified documents or misrepresenting themselves to avail of the discount may be denied the privilege and may face civil and penal liabilities under applicable laws.