QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 11314)
The short title is the “Student Fare Discount Act.” It was approved on April 17, 2019 and takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
It cites Article XIV, Section 1 and Section 2(3) of the 1987 Constitution on the State’s duty to protect and promote the right to quality education and to make education accessible, especially to underprivileged students, by establishing incentives like subsidies and other support. The purpose is to institutionalize mandatory student fare discount privileges in public transportation.
Any Filipino citizen currently enrolled in a duly authorized elementary, secondary, technical-vocational, or higher education institution. It excludes those enrolled in post-graduate degree courses and informal short-term courses (e.g., dancing, swimming, music, driving lessons) and seminar-type courses.
Public transportation utilities are all Philippine common carriers engaged in carrying/transporting passengers or goods for compensation (land, sea/water, or air). A public transportation utility operator is the person/entity granted a Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) by a regulatory agency to operate as a common carrier.
Covered are public transportation utilities such as PUBs, PUJs, taxis and similar vehicles-for-hire, tricycles, passenger trains, aircrafts, and marine vessels. Not covered are school service, shuttle service, tourist service, and any similar service under contract or charter agreement with valid franchise/permit from the LTFRB.
Yes. The discount is available during the entire period while the student is enrolled, including weekends and holidays.
The student may choose between the promotional fare and the regular fare less the statutory discount under RA 11314.
A 20% discount on domestic regular fares, upon personal presentation of duly issued school ID or current validated enrollment form, supported by the prescribed government-issued identification document, subject to appropriate verification mechanisms in the IRR.
For air public transportation utilities, the discount applies only to the base fare (ticket price before taxes and costs for ancillary services).
No. It prohibits availment of double discounts—students cannot claim if they claim a higher discount granted by the utility or under other laws, or if combined with other discount programs/incentives.
They may claim as a tax deduction the student fare discount based on the cost of the services rendered, allowed as deduction from gross income for the same taxable year the discount is granted, and the total amount of the tax deduction net of VAT (if applicable) must be included in gross sales receipts for tax purposes, subject to proper documentation and the NIRC.
Regulating agencies may determine alternative ways such as reduction or exemption from regulatory fees and charges to mitigate the impact of the discount for the benefit of operators, including drivers.
LTFRB for land utilities except tricycles; MARINA for sea/water utilities; CAB for air utilities; DOTr legal service for rail facilities (including LRT/MRT/PNR); and the Office of the Local Chief Executive of the concerned LGU for tricycles.
Drivers face suspension of driver’s license: 1 month (first), 2 months (second), 3 months (third), and 3 months plus a PHP 1,000 fine per subsequent offense. Owners/operators: PHP 5,000 fine (first), PHP 10,000 fine plus impounding for 30 days (second), and PHP 15,000 fine plus cancellation of CPC (third and subsequent).
Sea/water: owner/operator fine PHP 5,000 (first), 10,000 (second), 20,000 (third), plus additional increments of 10,000 on top of the third fine for each subsequent offense. Air: PHP 50,000 (first), PHP 100,000 and warning (second), and PHP 150,000 plus other sanctions by CAB for third and subsequent. Rail: private rail must designate a student/senior citizen fare booth; violations sanctioned/fined under existing civil service rules for government rail; for privately-operated rail, fines under sea/water subsection (b) apply and may be imposed by DOTr.
After appropriate complaint, notice, and hearing, proper authorities may cause cancellation or revocation of CPC, permit to operate, franchise, licenses, and other privileges granted to transportation utilities that fail to comply.
The person is denied the privilege and may be subject to civil and penal liabilities prescribed by law.
Within 90 days from effectivity: LTFRB (land), MARINA (sea/water), CAB (air), and DOTr (rail). They must consider the government central identification platform and consult with relevant agencies, including DILG, DOF, BIR, DepEd, CHED, TESDA, PSA, and stakeholders like operators and the public.