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 seniors and 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.
During the dialogue, Grab Philippines reiterated the steps it has taken to comply with the said laws, and highlighted the systems it has implemented in its app to ensure that discounts are accessible to passengers who are 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 its platform starting December 18, 2024.
In a statement, the Coalition of Filipino Commuters (CFC) emphasized the need for the LTFRB to “enforce uniform application of government-mandated discounts for students, seniors and persons with disabilities across all digital ride-hailing platforms.” The group underlined the importance of such discounts, citing accessibility and inclusivity as key benefits for vulnerable sectors of society.
The LTFRB has earlier reminded drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs), as well as TNVS companies, to fully comply with laws granting 20% discounts to senior citizens, PWDs and students.
Last December, LTFRB Chairman Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III lamented that “despite clear guidelines, reports of non-compliance have prompted the agency to take action.”
Mr. Guadiz emphasized that refusing to honor government-imposed discounts “is against the law and is a disservice to commuters.”
He also reminded PUV and TNVS operators that violations of the special passenger discount guidelines carry fines and penalties, including suspension or revocation of franchises for repeat offenders.
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