House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has filed House Bill No. 9859, also called the “Student Discount Para Sa Load Act.” The proposal seeks to give qualified students a 20 percent discount on mobile load, text, calls, and internet services.
The measure was introduced in the House of Representatives as the counterpart to Senate Bill No. 126 filed by Sen. Bam Aquino, covering students across the country who need mobile data and internet access for their education.
De Lima pointed out that connectivity is now a basic requirement for learning. Many students struggle with the high cost of load and data, making it harder to keep up with online classes and research. The bill aims to ease this burden by ensuring that expensive services do not block access to education.
If passed, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Department of Information and Communications Technology will require local telcos to grant the discount to eligible students.
This would help families save on monthly expenses while improving access to online resources and communication tools needed for school.
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Supporters believe the measure will make digital learning more inclusive and accessible, especially for students who depend on mobile data every day.
