The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), under the direction of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez, has issued a stern warning to all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators to strictly comply with the 20% student fare discount mandated by law.
LTFRB Chairperson Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II sounded the alarm after receiving multiple complaints that some PUVs refused to honor the student discount during long weekends and recent class suspensions.
“The law is very clear. Students are entitled to fare discounts even during holidays, as long as they are enrolled,” Mendoza stressed. He noted that the directive is aligned with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s order to safeguard student welfare.
The mandate is anchored on Republic Act 11314, or the “Student Fare Discount Act,” which explicitly states under Section 4: “The fare discount granted under this Act shall be available during the entire period while the student is enrolled, including weekends and holidays.”
Mendoza reminded operators and drivers to faithfully follow the law, saying, “Kung wala man kayong anak o kamag-anak na estudyante, tandaan ninyo—lahat tayo dumaan sa buhay estudyante.”
He then issued a firm warning: “Ayusin ninyo ‘yan. Kung hindi, ako mismo ang hahawak ng mga kaso laban sa inyo. Hindi lang multa ang aabutin ninyo—baka mawalan pa kayo ng prangkisa.”
Under RA 11314, drivers face a maximum penalty of a three-month driver’s license suspension and a ₱1,000 fine per violation. Operators, meanwhile, risk fines of up to ₱15,000 and even revocation of their Certificate of Public Convenience.
Mendoza encouraged students to immediately report violations to the LTFRB through Hotline 0956-761-0739 or via LTFRB’s official social media pages.
“All you need to do is document the incident properly, and we will take care of the rest,” he assured, extending the same call for reporting to senior citizens and persons with disabilities who are also legally entitled to fare discounts.