A new bill filed in Congress aims to give students a break on their phone and internet bills.
Representative Leila de Lima, who is the Senior Deputy Minority Leader in the House, introduced the bill. Under her proposal, students would get a 20 percent price cut on mobile load, calls, texts, and data plans.
The new House bill is called the Student Discount Para Sa Load Act. It covers all levels of schooling, from elementary up to college and technical-vocational courses. The only exception is graduate school, which is not included in the plan.
The discount would apply to both prepaid and postpaid services. This includes broadband connections as well, as long as students use them for schoolwork.
De Lima said the proposal is about making access to education better for everyone. She explained that many students today need the internet to do their assignments, research, and other class activities. But not all families can afford to pay for data or regular load.
She also mentioned that even though schools have gone back to in-person classes, online tools are still a big part of learning. Students use them for projects, presentations, and even communicating with teachers and classmates.
According to De Lima, the current education system already provides some support, like free tuition and scholarships. But these programs often do not cover digital expenses, so the government should step in to help fill that gap.