MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday convened a dialogue with 19 Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) platforms operating in the country as part of efforts to ensure compliance with fare discount mandates for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and students.
The initiative follows reports of non-compliance with the Expanded Senior Citizens Act and the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, which entitle seniors and PWDs to 20% fare discounts, as well as reported violations of similar guidelines for students.
“Shellfish collected and tested from (these areas)… are still (positive) for paralytic shellfish poison or toxic red tide that is beyond the regulatory limit,” the BFAR said.
During the dialogue, Grab Philippines reiterated the steps it has undertaken to comply with the said laws, and highlighted the systems it has put in place within its app to ensure that discounts are accessible to passengers entitled to them.
Meanwhile, Russian-founded ride-hailing service inDrive, which resumed operations in the Philippines in June 2024, provided updates on its compliance initiatives, including the official launch of discounts for qualified passengers on their platform starting 18 December 2024.
In a statement, the Coalition of Filipino Commuters (CFC) emphasized the need for the LTFRB to “enforce a uniform application of government-mandated discounts for students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities across all digital ride-hailing platforms.”
The group underscored the importance of such discounts, citing accessibility and inclusivity as key benefits for vulnerable sectors of society.
mwgames188 comThe LTFRB has earlier reminded drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs), as well as TNVS firms to fully comply with laws that extend 20% discounts to senior citizens, PWDs and students.
Last December LTFRB Chairman Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III lamented that “despite the clear guidelines, reports of non-compliance have prompted the agency to take action.”
Guadiz stressed that refusal to honor the government-mandated discounts “go against the law and are a disservice to commuters.”
He likewise reminded PUV and TNVS operators that violations of the special passenger discount guidelines carry fines and penaltieslegendplay, including suspension or revocation of franchises for repeat offenders.
