A new legislative measure aims to ease the financial burden on low-income Filipino students by granting them a mandatory five percent discount on educational expenses, food, and essential electronic gadgets.
Senate Bill 1063, also known as the proposed “Underprivileged Students’ Discount Act,” authored by Senator Jinggoy Estrada, seeks to support students enrolled in basic, higher, and technical-vocational education whose families struggle with daily schooling costs.
Senator Estrada emphasized on Friday that even small savings can make a significant difference for families living on tight budgets.
“Maraming estudyante ang kapos sa panggastos araw-araw kaya bawat pisong natitipid nila ay napakahalaga,” Estrada said.
Many students lack daily funds, which is why every peso they save is very important.
The lawmaker noted that the bill modernizes student assistance by explicitly including digital devices, which have transitioned from educational luxuries to absolute necessities.
“Sa panahon ngayon, hindi na luho ang laptop, tablet, o cellphone. Kailangan na ang mga ito para makasabay sa pag-aaral. At lalong hindi luho ang pagkain, tuition, at school supplies. Kaya bawat diskwento ay malaking ginhawa para sa mga estudyante at kanilang pamilya,” he added.
Nowadays, a laptop, tablet, or cellphone is no longer a luxury. These are needed to keep up with school. And food, tuition, and school supplies are definitely not luxuries. So every discount is a big relief for students and their families.
Key Provisions of Senate Bill 1063
- Eligibility Criteria: The discount applies to students whose household income falls below ₱250,000 annually (approximately ₱20,000 per month). Working students are eligible as long as their total household income remains within this threshold.
- Scope of Discounts: The 5% discount covers tuition, miscellaneous school fees, school supplies, textbooks, medicines, food establishments, and cultural entrance fees (such as museums and theaters). It also covers digital learning equipment like laptops and tablets.
- Tax Incentives for Businesses: To encourage compliance among private establishments, the discounts granted can be claimed as allowable deductions from their gross income under the National Internal Revenue Code.
- Retention of Financial Aid: The proposed discount will not affect or reduce a student’s eligibility for existing scholarships, vouchers, or other government and institutional educational assistance.
If passed into law, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will be tasked with verifying eligible beneficiaries and issuing student discount identification cards.