THE House of Representatives under Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday received an assurance that millions of senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs) would soon enjoy a 20-percent discount on the use of expressways and skyways in Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, and Northern Luzon.
The committees on ways and means, senior citizens and special committee on PWDs were given the commitment by a representative of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) during the continuation of their investigation into gaps and confusion in the implementation of laws on discounts and benefits for the elderly, PWDs and solo parents.
Romualdez ordered the inquiry upon receiving complaints that many business establishments have not been honoring the mandated privileges.
Former public works undersecretary Rafael Yabut, who now heads SMC’s infrastructure group, told the committees that they support the grant of the 20-percent discount.
He said they would coordinate with the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and other concerned agencies on how to grant it.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, who is presiding over the inquiry as ways and means committee chairman, suggested that instead of deducting 20 percent from the cost of an expressway or skyway radio frequency identification (RFID) card or its top-up load, an equivalent amount would be added to the card price or additional load.
“In other words, it would be an add-on. If you buy P5,000, you get P6,000, or P1,000 more, which is equivalent to 20 percent. There is no loss on the part of the expressway/skyway operator,” he said.
He said the vehicle on which the RFID sticker would be attached should be registered under the name of the senior citizen or PWD.
Yabut agreed to the proposal of Salceda, who thanked San Miguel Corp. for its gesture.
SMC operates the Metro Manila and Ninoy Aquino International Airport skyway system, South Luzon Expressway, Southern Tagalog Arterial Road, and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.
The other toll roads in Luzon are operated by Metro Pacific Corp. These are North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, Cavite Expressway, and NLEX-SLEX Connector.
No one spoke for Metro Pacific during this morning’s hearing.
The three committees also checked on the compliance by Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific on discounts for senior citizens, PWDs and students.
Representatives of the two airlines said there is an option in their websites for those concerned to avail themselves of the discounts.
Salceda also read a long of list violators of laws on discounts and benefits, which included big malls, drugstores, supermarkets, and food and transportation service providers.
He named Food Panda and Grab among the alleged violators.
Popular bakeshop chain Goldilocks, which Salceda said has been accused of limiting the 20-percent discount “to a slice for every cake purchased,” did not send a representative to the hearing.
Salceda said they will invite them again.
During the three committees’ first hearing last week, Starbucks told the panels it has scrap its “one food item, one beverage” limit on the application of the 20-percent discount and apologized for its “mistake.”
