Post grad students not covered by fare discount — LTFRB

 

Post-graduate students are not covered by the 20-percent student fare discount, an official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said.

LTFRB board member Ariel Inton made the statement after a squabble between a student and conductor over student fare discount came out in the news last week.

Inton's statement came as the LTFRB heard a complaint against a bus conductor who refused to give a student a fare discount since she was not in uniform and did not have her identification card with her.

Although the LTFRB Memorandum Circular on student fare discount does not require the presentation of identification cards, Inton said that a student passenger should still have proof of enrolment such as a registration form as a form of identification.

Out-of-school youth are not entitled to the discount, Inton also clarified.

Moreover, the LTFRB said that its guidelines for student fare discount does not cover post-graduate students namely those taking up medicine, law, Master or Doctoral degrees.

Inton, however, admitted that there is a need for the Board to review its MC on student fare discount.

“Student fare discount is not a law. It is only a Memorandum Circular under the LTFRB not mandated by the law like discounts for senior citizens and PWDs (persons with disabilities),” Inton said. — APG, GMA News