Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Mike Defensor has filed a bill seeking to give senior citizens 20 percent discount in toll fees.
In filing House Bill 10630, Defensor said senior citizens "deserve greater preferential access to road transportation services, including a 20 percent markdown on tollway charges."
Under Defensor's proposed measure, senior citizens shall be entitled to a 20 percent price cut on toll fees paid through radio frequency identification (RFID) technology or similar devices. In availing the discount, the vehicle using the tollway must be registered in the name of the senior citizen, who shall submit a copy of his or her identification or ID card when applying for RFID installation.
The bill requires the Department of Transportation’s Toll Regulatory Board to draw up the rules to enforce the discount.
"Our measure seeks to give more substance to the mandate of the 1987 Constitution for the State to prioritize the needs and welfare of the elderly," he said.
Currently, senior citizens are entitled to a 20 percent discount on various transportation services.