Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6247

Introduced by Manila Teachers Representative
VIRGILIO S. LACSON

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Section 9, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides:

“The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and
independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide
adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an
improved quality of life for all.”

In order to assist our teachers in the fulfillment of their noble profession of instilling life
skills and values to our schoolchildren and to better recognize and appreciate their
contributions to nationbuilding, it is incumbent upon the State to grant fare discounts to
teachers, helping them in making ends meet, enabling our teachers to focus more on the
practice of the teaching profession.

This measure seeks to provide the grant of fare discount privilege to teachers in all modes of
public transportation by institutionalizing mechanisms that will ensure uniformed
implementation both at the national and local level.

With the aim to continously develop the country’s human capital especially in the field of
education, the immediate approval of this measure is earnestly requested

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VIRGILIO S. LACSON


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

6247

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Manila Teachers Representative
VIRGILIO S. LACSON

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR FARE DISCOUNT PRIVILEGES TO TEACHERS ON ALL
MODES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, INSTITUTIONALIZING
MECHANISMS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Teacher Fare Discount Act of
2017”.

SEC. 2, Declaration of Policy. ~ Section 9, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides that
the State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and
independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide
adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an
improved quality of life for all.

Consistent with the abovementioned constitutional mandate, the State shall:

(a) Establish a mechanism that ensures the mandatory grant of discounts for teachers;

(b) Enlist the cooperation and support of public transportation utilties in providing
assistance to teachers as a social responsibility through the observance of this
privilege; and

(©) Encourage teachers to pursue quality and responsible teaching practices in the
exercise of their profession.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms, - The following terms when used in this Act and the
implementing rules and regulations shall be understood, as follows:

(a) Teacher refers to any Filipino citizen practicing the profession of teaching in any
elementary, secondary and technical and vocational schools.

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(b) School days refer to the entire duration of the school year during which teachers are
engaged in teaching excluding term breaks;

(©) Public transportation utilties refer to natural or juridical persons engaged in the
business of transporting passengers or goods, by land, water, or air, for compensation,
offering their services to the public

SEC. 4. Teacher Fare Discount Privilege. — A teacher shall be entitled to a twenty percent
(20%) discount on the regular domestic fares of all kings of public transportation utilties upon
the presentation of a duly issued and validated school employee identification card. In the
absence of a validated school employee identification card, a Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC) Identification Card issued to licensed teachers shall be sufficient;
Provided, that this privilege may be availed of only during school days.

SEC. 5. Complaints Mechanism. — A teacher who is refused the fare discount privilege
under this Act may file a complaint with:
(a) The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for land public
transportation utilities;
(b) The Maritime Industry Authority for sea public transportation utilities;
(c) The Legal Service of the Department of Transportation for rail public transportation
facilities;
(d) The Office of the Local Chief Executive of the Local Government Unit concerned for
tricycles.

These agencies and offices are hereby authorized to impose penalties provided for in the
Section 6 of this Act on public transportation utilities that refure or fail to grant the teacher
fare discount privilege

SEC. 6. Penalties, — The following penalties shall be imposed for refusal or failure to grant
the teacher fare discount privilege provided under this Act:
(a) For land public transportation utilities, including tricycles:
‘The driver shall suffer the penalty of suspension of driver’s license for:
1) One (1) week for the first offense;
2) Two (2) weeks for the second offense;
3) Three (3) weeks plus a fine of one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) for each
subsequent offense,

‘The owner or operator of the land transportation utility shall be likewise liable with
the conductor for the payment of the fine.

In land public transportation utilities requiring prior booking, the operator shall be
likewise liable with its employee responsible for the refusal or failure for a fine of:

1) One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) for the first offense;

2) Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) for the second offense;

3) Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) for the third offense; and


4) Additional increments of five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) on top of the
penalty for the third offense for each subsequent offense.

(b) For sea/water or air public transportation utilties:
‘The owner, operator and the chief of operations, of the sea/water or air public
transportation utility shall be solidarily liable with its employee or agent responsible
for the refusal or failre for a fine of:

1) Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) for the first offense;

2) Ten thousand pesos (P10,000,00) for the second offense;

3) Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) for the third offense; and

4) Additional increments of ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) on top of the
penalty for the third offense for each subsequent offense.

(©) For rail public transportation utilities

The operator and the chief of operations of the rail public transportation utility shall
be solidarily liable with its employee responsible for the refusal or failure for a fine
of

1) One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) for the first offense;

2) Five thousand pesos (P5,000,00) for the second offense;

3) Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) for the third offense; and

4) Additional increments of five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) on top of the

penalty for the third offense for eacg subsequent offense.

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall, after consultation with the concemed
government agencies, promulgate the rules and regulations for the proper implementation of
this Act.

‘SEC. 8. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders and issuances,
proclamations, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof that are inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,