Bohol 3rd District Rep. Kristine Alexie Tutor is proposing to grant five-percent discount on basic services such as food and medicine, and on purchase of books, school supplies, and electronic devices used for online learning to underprivileged students in all levels, including those enrolled in technical-vocational (tech-voc) institutions.
She filed House Bill No. 7224, the proposed “Underprivileged Students’ Discount Act of 2020,” to provide financial relief to the underprivileged students and their families during this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
“To ease the financial burden of underprivileged students and help them cope with the high cost of education as well as daily school expenses, this measure proposes to grant discounts on basic services such as food and medicine,” she said in her bill’s explanatory note.
“Moreover, it also seeks to give them discounts on educational expenses, such as tuition, miscellaneous, and other school fees, including the purchase of books, school supplies, and electronics for purposes of participating in online or distance learning,” she added.
Tutor said under her bill, the discounts granted by establishments to underprivileged students shall be treated as allowable deduction from their gross income.
Under HB 7224, underprivileged student refers to a Filipino student enrolled in basic education, post-secondary non-degree tech-voc courses, and those enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at the college level, whose parents have a gross annual income of not more than P250,000, subject to review by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) every three years.
The measure also provides that a Filipino who opts to take part-time jobs to subsidize the student’s education and whose income combined with the annual gross income student’s parents do not exceed P250,000, subject to review by the NEDA every three years, is deemed an underprivileged student.
Tutor’s bill mandates the following establishments and institutions to grant five-percent discounts to underprivileged students: food establishments such as food chains, canteens and restaurants; pharmacies or drug stores; establishments that sell reference books and school supplies; and those establishments that sell electronic devices including but not limited to computers, tablets, and other electronic devices.
The measure also provides that a five-percent discount shall be granted to underprivileged students by public and private schools where they are enrolled in, without prejudice to their right to avail themselves of other educational assistance given by the school and government.
HB 7224 also bats for a five-percent discount on entrance fees to museums, theaters, and cultural events sanctioned by the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA).
The bill tasks the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to determine qualified primary and secondary students, and tertiary or college beneficiaries. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall be in charge of determining the qualified post-secondary tech-voc beneficiaries under the proposed Act through its Office of Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Systems Development Office (TSDO).
The DepEd, TESDA, and CHED may identify grounds for disqualification of students in availing of the discounts in accordance with the implementing rules and regulations of the proposed Act.
The bill provides that the license to operate or the business permit of the establishment found violating the proposed Act for the first time shall be suspended for one week to four weeks and shall pay a fine amounting to P20,000 to P50,000.
For second-time offenders, their license to operate or the business permit shall be suspended for not less than four weeks and shall pay a fine of not less than P50,000, but not exceeding P250,000.
The bill provides that the procedure of notice and hearing shall have been complied with prior to the imposition of such penalties.
In coordination with the CHED and TESDA, the DepEd, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Health (DOH) and local government units (LGUs) shall implement the provisions of the proposed Act.
“After filing of an appropriate complaint and after due notice and hearing, the proposed authorities may also cause the cancellation or revocation of the business permit, permit to operate, franchise, and other similar privileges granted to any business entity that fails to abide by the provisions of this Act,” HB 7224 provides.