Lawmakers are seeking special discount privileges in transportation fares, health, and entertainment services to public school teachers.
Ako Bicol party-list Reps. Rodel M. Batocabe, Alfredo A. Garbin Jr., and Christopher S. Co filed House Bill 801 seeking to mandate all government-owned and -controlled corporation or private entities, owning, operating, or managing public transport facilities to grant public school teachers at least 20 percent discount on all transportation fares within the country.
Batocabe said their measure also requires drugstores and drug companies to extend to public school teachers a discount of not less than 20 percent on the cost of medicines and supplemental vitamins.
“Public school teachers shall also enjoy a minimum discount of 20 percent on rentals for lodgings in hotels, motels, inns, pension, or other lodging houses, as well as on the cost of food served in cafes, cafeterias, refreshment parlors, restaurants, soda fountain bars, and other similar establishments,” he said.
Under HB 801, public school teachers shall also receive a minimum of 20 percent on admission charged by theaters, cinema houses, and concert halls, circuses, carnivals, and other similar places of amusement.
They also get to enjoy 20 percent discount on any hospital, gym, or other facility offering physical fitness programs, the bill provides.
“Aside from these discount privileges, public school teachers shall be given priority by government lending institutions in the grant of loans not exceeding R20,000 intended to provide capital for businesses and other income-generating projects,” Batocabe said. (Charissa M. Luci)