The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Mandaue City Councilor Carlo Fortuna wants the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to require transport network companies (TNCs) to include automaticdiscounts into their ride-hailing mobile applications for passengers who are senior citizen and persons with disability (PWD).
The Mandaue City Council recently approved a resolution filed by Fortuna urging LTFRB to obligate TNCs to incorporate an automatic 20% fare discount in their system for senior citizens and PWDs as mandated by existing laws.
Fortuna said these laws allow senior citizens and PWDs to enjoy a 20% discount on all public transportation, including transport network vehicles. But many ride-hailing applications do not provide an option for passengers to indicate their eligibility or automatically apply the discount during the booking process.
He cited airline and hotel booking platforms allow users to declare whether they are senior citizens or PWDs and upload their identification, after which the applicable discount is reflected in the total fare or booking cost.
Fortuna said Grab, Angkas, JoyRide and Move It should adopt a similar system to make it easier for qualified passengers to avail of the discount.
He said integrating the feature in their mobile applications would enable TNCs to comply with the legal mandate to extend fare discounts to senior citizens and PWDs.
Fortuna said, “Under the law, kung PWD ug senior citizens ka na kay 20 percent discount… kinahanglan i-require sad sila to provide the discount and make it easier to secure the discount. I-update ilang system makita ig book.”
Fortuna said the resolution does not compel TNCs to immediately implement the feature but formally urges the LTFRB to require its integration across all accredited ride-hailing platforms operating in the country.