Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1358

HOUSE BILL NO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to mandate business establishments to grant discount privileges to
public school teachers whose earning capabilities are adversely affected by the present
economic situation in our country. They have been given little attention as far as their
protection, security of their physical and social well-being by the government.

The worldwide economic crisis, high employment rate, soaring prices of basic
commodities have severely strained the capacity of the public school teachers to provide
a decent and dignified living necessitating the assistance and cooperation of the State.

As provided in the 1987 Constitution, the State shall assign the highest budgetary
priority education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the
best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction
and fulfillment. [Article 14, Section 5(5)].

The bill seeks to grant special benefits and privileges to the public school teachers
such as, among others, discounts in transportation fares, health services, hotels,
restaurants, and recreational facilities through the coordination and cooperation of
government with public and private entities. The imperative need to render assistance to
the public school teachers is not only in keeping with the social justice provision of the
Constitution to help them hurdle the economic hardships of the times but also a fervent
manifestation of our gratitude for all the services and sacrifices experienced by them for
the country.

Accordingly, the swift passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

a

CHRISTOPHER S. CO Ri |. BATOCABE


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HousEBILLNo,_1358

AN ACT GRANTING DISCOUNT PRIVILEGES AND OTHER BENEFITS TO PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES,

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

assembled:

SECTION 1.Declaration of Policy. \t is the policy of the State to give priority to the needs
of the public school teachers. Toward this end, it shall adopt a program that shall uplift
their social well-being and make essential goods, health, recreational and other social

services available to them at affordable cost.

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. When used in this Act, the term “public school teacher”
shall refer to a Filipino citizen who is a permanent resident of the Philippines, is an
employee of the Department of Education, whether permanent, temporary, casual or
contractual, has an income of not more than Sixty Thousand Pesos (PhP 60,000.00) per
annum, and does not own real property with an aggregate assessed value of more than

‘Twenty Thousand Pesos (PhP 20,000.00).

SECTION 3. Public Transport Facilities. All government-owned and controlled
corporation or private entities, owning, operating, or managing public transport facilities,
whether land, sea, or air, shall give priority to the public school teachers, and provide
them with at least twenty-percent (20%) discount on all transportation fare within the

Philippines.

SECTION 4. Health Services. Public school teachers shall also be entitled to a discount of
at least twenty percent (20%) on fees or charges for hospital, medical, and dental services

rendered by public and private medical institutions and practitioners.

Drugstores and drug companies shall extend to the public school teachers a discount of
not less than twenty percent (20%) on the cost of medicines and supplemental vitamins,

as prescribed by a registered medical or dental practitioner.


SECTION 5. Hotels, Lodging Houses, Restaurants, and Eateries. Public school teachers
shall be granted a minimum discount of twenty percent (20%) on rentals for lodging in
hotels, motels, inns, pension, or other lodging houses and on the cost of food served in
cafes, cafeterias, refreshment parlors, restaurants, soda fountain bars, carinderia, or food

caterers, and other similar establishments.

SECTION 6. Recreational Facilities. A minimum discount of twenty percent (20%) on
admission charged by theaters, cinema houses, and concert halls, circuses, carnivals, and

other similar places of amusement shall be granted to the public school teachers.

SECTION 7. Physical Fitness Facilities. Any hospital, gym, or other facility offering
physical fitness programs shall extend to public school teachers at a twenty percent
(20%) discount.

SECTION 8. Loans from Government Institutions. Government lending institutions shall
give priority to public school teachers in the grant of loans not exceeding Twenty-
Thousand Pesos (PhP 20,000.00) intended to provide capital for or to finance a livelihood

and other income-generating projects, subject to banking rules and regulations. .

SECTION 9. Limitation on discount privileges and other benefits. The discount
privileges and other benefits mentioned in this Act shall apply only to the personal
account of the public school teacher in payment for services and goods actually used by
him or her. These shall not extend to his or her relatives or companions who are not
qualified beneficiaries under this Act.

SECTION 10. Registration of Public School Teachers. A public school teacher who
qualified under this Act and who wishes to avail of the discount privileges and other
benefits provided herein shall be required to present his or her identification card issued
by the Department of Education every time the privilege is availed of the by the public
school teacher to the agency, association, company, or individual who granted the

discount.

SECTION 11. Deductions from Taxable Income. The amount of discounts granted in
pursuance of this Act shall be allowed as deductions in the computation of taxable income
by the public or private entitled and individual granting the discount; Provided, however,
that the tax deductions shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of its taxable income;
Provided, further, that the tax deduction under this section shall be evidenced by copies

of the ID cards presented by the public school teachers as provided in this Act.

SECTION 12. Rules and Regulations. The Department of Education, in coordination with

the other concerned government agencies and in consultation with associations of public


school teachers and non-government organizations addressing the needs of the public
school teachers shall issue the rules and regulations for the effective implementation of
this Act.

SECTION 13. Penalties. Any person who refuses to extend the privileges and benefits
granted under this Act to a public school teacher entitled thereto after request and
proper identification of who unduly takes advantage of any such privileges or benefits, or
who violates any of the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this Act, shall
suffer the penalty of prision correcional or a fine of not less than two hundred pesos (PhP
200.00) nor more than six thousand pesos (PhP 6,000.00), or both such fine and

imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

In case the offender is a corporation, cooperative, partnership or association, the penalty
shall be imposed upon the president, manager, or officers thereof who had knowingly
permitted or were otherwise responsible for the commission of the offense. If it can be
shown that such refusal to grant discount privileges is a corporate decision, all the

members of the board shall be held liable.

In case of a succeeding offense, the penalties of both imprisonment and fine shall be
imposed in the maximum period. In addition thereto, such shall be sufficient cause for the
immediate cancellation of the professional license or pemit to operate the business or

medical establishment.

SECTION 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full

force and effect.

SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders or rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed

or modified accordingly.

SECTION 16. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its

publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.