Student fare discounts now in effect all year

MANILA, Philippines — The 20-percent student discount on transport fares will be honored even on weekends and holidays starting Saturday, according to a new memorandum issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

In its Memorandum Circular 2017-024, the LTFRB said students can avail of the discount on public utility vehicle (PUV) fares all week long and even on summer and other school breaks and holidays. 

The student discount covers all PUVs, including transport network vehicle services of Grab and Uber, jeepneys, buses, taxis and UV Express vans. 

The new memo was signed on Oct. 11 and will take effect on Oct. 28, 15 days after it was published. 

It effectively amended a 2005 memorandum stating that students can only avail of the discount during Mondays to Fridays of the school year and will not be honored during summer breaks and holidays. 

However, post-graduate students – including those taking up medicine, law,  and masteral and doctoral degrees – still cannot avail of the fare discount. 

LTFRB spokesperson Aileen Lizada said they issued the amendatory memo after receiving several complaints on social media on student discounts.