SEN. Raffy Tulfo yesterday asked the Department of Transportation to put up an exclusive booth for student discounts on the three major railway systems in Metro Manila.
Tulfo said he has received mounting complaints from students over the slow and inefficient validation process for students availing of fare discounts at Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 stations, and Metro Rail Transit 3 stations, after the DOTr implemented a 50 percent fare discount to students from the previous 20 percent.
Despite the significant benefits, Tulfo said some students choose not to avail of the discount due to the time-consuming and inconvenient process.
Tulfo said several students shared that they were asked to present a printed enrollment record at ticket counters if their student ID does not indicate the current school year, required to fill out a form with their name, school, ID number, signature, and destination station, which further adds up to long queues and frustrated passengers especially during rush hours.
The students also appealed that discounts should be availed of for stored value tickets, and not on single journeys, to spare them from having to line up each time they ride the Metro rail systems.
He said the DOTr should streamline the process, which will eliminate the tedious manner in which to get discounts.
He said the discount booths should be exclusive for students, separate from senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and regular passengers.
“The goal of the student fare discount is to make transportation more accessible to learners, not to create new obstacles for them or for other commuters,” he added.
