A measure has been filed in the House of Representatives seeking to institutionalize a 20 percent discount on mobile load and internet services for Filipino students, aimed at easing the cost of digital access for education.
The proposal, filed by Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, adopts Senate Bill No. 126, which grants students discounts on text, call, data, and broadband services, excluding postgraduate programs.
The measure seeks to address the widening digital divide by recognizing internet connectivity as essential to modern learning, with students increasingly relying on online platforms and digital tools for academic requirements.
It covers prepaid and postpaid mobile services as well as broadband internet used for educational purposes.
Under the proposal, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will oversee implementation, while telecommunications companies will be required to submit quarterly compliance reports.