By Hannah Torregoza
Reelectionist Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Tuesday urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to expedite the crafting of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) on the measure granting a 20-percent fare discount to students.
Angara said the measure, which is now awaiting President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature, will soon become a law and thus the IRR should be drafted immediately so it can be implemented as soon as possible.
Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara
(Sonny Angara Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) Once a law, the senator said the bill will surely benefit students in time for their return from the provinces for the school opening this June. “If a bill’s enactment is anticipated, then the implementing agency, in a proactive move, can ready the IRR especially if there is a schedule to be met, which in this case is the opening of classes seven weeks from now,” Angara said. “This is one of those ‘do not delay’ laws. So its implementation should not be held up by the absence of an IRR. Angara noted that if there is anticipated bidding and early procurement in public works, there must also be an advance writing of IRR for very important laws. Ideally, he said, both the law and the IRR should be in effect first week of May so that students can buy discounted bus, ship, and plane tickets ahead of the school opening. “Many book (their tickets) one month in advance so it will be good if the law is in effect by then,” he pointed out. Senate Bill No. 1597 seeks to expand the current limited land fare discounts for students that they can only avail of during school days to an “all-year, all forms of transport” privilege. Angara’s bill primarily institutionalizes the student fare discount currently being implemented by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), even during weekends and holidays, and covers all means of transportation year-round. The LTFRB, in October 2017, issued a memorandum circular stating that “students can avail of the 20-percent discount from Monday to Sunday, including summer breaks, legal, and special holidays.” Under the agency’s circular, failure to provide the fare discount is a franchise violation that carries a penalty of a fine of P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 and their vehicles impounded for one month for the second offense, and P15,000 and cancellation of franchise for the third offense. But Angara said there is always a possibility that the student fare discount may not be enforced effectively since it is just based on a mere circular issued by the LTFRB. “Ang kailangan natin ay batas para masiguro natin na ang 20 percent discount para sa mga mag-aaral ay mananatili kahit sino pa ang mga nakaupo sa LTFRB, (That is precisely why we need the law, to ensure that the 20 percent discount for students would still be enforced even if there are changes in the LTFRB’s leadership),” Angara stressed.
Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara(Sonny Angara Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) Once a law, the senator said the bill will surely benefit students in time for their return from the provinces for the school opening this June. “If a bill’s enactment is anticipated, then the implementing agency, in a proactive move, can ready the IRR especially if there is a schedule to be met, which in this case is the opening of classes seven weeks from now,” Angara said. “This is one of those ‘do not delay’ laws. So its implementation should not be held up by the absence of an IRR. Angara noted that if there is anticipated bidding and early procurement in public works, there must also be an advance writing of IRR for very important laws. Ideally, he said, both the law and the IRR should be in effect first week of May so that students can buy discounted bus, ship, and plane tickets ahead of the school opening. “Many book (their tickets) one month in advance so it will be good if the law is in effect by then,” he pointed out. Senate Bill No. 1597 seeks to expand the current limited land fare discounts for students that they can only avail of during school days to an “all-year, all forms of transport” privilege. Angara’s bill primarily institutionalizes the student fare discount currently being implemented by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), even during weekends and holidays, and covers all means of transportation year-round. The LTFRB, in October 2017, issued a memorandum circular stating that “students can avail of the 20-percent discount from Monday to Sunday, including summer breaks, legal, and special holidays.” Under the agency’s circular, failure to provide the fare discount is a franchise violation that carries a penalty of a fine of P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 and their vehicles impounded for one month for the second offense, and P15,000 and cancellation of franchise for the third offense. But Angara said there is always a possibility that the student fare discount may not be enforced effectively since it is just based on a mere circular issued by the LTFRB. “Ang kailangan natin ay batas para masiguro natin na ang 20 percent discount para sa mga mag-aaral ay mananatili kahit sino pa ang mga nakaupo sa LTFRB, (That is precisely why we need the law, to ensure that the 20 percent discount for students would still be enforced even if there are changes in the LTFRB’s leadership),” Angara stressed.