Students residing in and commuting around Barangay Maranding, Lala, and surrounding communities in Lanao del Norte face a persistent financial burden due to arbitrary, inconsistent, and often inflated public transport fares. Despite legal mandates protecting student welfare, many public utility jeepney (PUJ) and tricycle drivers frequently refuse to grant proper fare reductions, reject valid school identifications, or charge unpredictable flat rates.

Baranggay Maranding serves as a major commercial and educational convergence point in the area, daily student commuters are heavily dependent on local transport. The lack of a standardized, highly visible, and strictly enforced student fare schedule leaves young commuters vulnerable to regular overcharging, creating an unnecessary strain on students and working-class families already coping with high living expenses.

To resolve these daily disputes and protect students from transport abuse, we respectfully urge the local government and regulatory bodies to implement the following action:

Establish a Standardized Local Fare Matrix:

• Formulate, publish, and distribute an official, precise student fare matrix specifying fixed peso amounts for standard routes originating from and passing through Maranding and Lala.

Mandatory Posting in PUVs and Terminals:

• Require all local tricycles and public utility vehicles operating within the municipality to visibly display the approved student fare guide inside passenger cabins and at major terminals.

Strict Implementation and Penalty Mechanism:

• Enforce Republic Act No. 11314 (Student Fare Discount Act) by penalizing drivers and operators who overcharge or refuse valid student privileges, alongside setting up a direct local reporting mechanism for violations.

We respectfully demand the immediate publication and strict enforcement of an official, standardized local student fare matrix that explicitly details the legally mandated 20 percent discounted peso rates for all public transportation routes within Barangay Maranding and the Municipality of Lala.

Finally, we urge the local government unit of Lala and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region X to fully implement Republic Act No. 11431  by establishing an accessible local reporting mechanism, conducting routine terminal inspections, and holding non-compliant drivers accountable for overcharging or refusing valid student identification.