The Department of Social Welfare and Development said March 15 that it will provide P5,000 in cash relief assistance to public utility vehicle drivers affected by the continuous increase in fuel prices.
The aid, under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis (AICS) program, will prioritize tricycle drivers, followed by drivers of jeepney, taxi, UV Express, and TNVS, including motorcycle taxi/delivery riders, and bus.
The payouts will start tomorrow, March 17, in the National Capital Region, followed by regions across the country, the DWD said. “This is to alleviate the immediate needs of the transport sector and their families, through a faster and simplified process of obtaining assistance.”
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) also said it has completed the consolidation and endorsement of the list of qualified messenger-riders under authorized private express and/or messengerial delivery service (PEMEDES) firms, which has been submitted to partner-agencies for the implementation of the fuel subsidy program.
In coordination with the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, this initiative aims to assist messenger-riders of authorized PEMEDES firms in coping with the impact of rising fuel costs while ensuring the continued delivery of reliable postal and delivery services, the DICT said in a press release.
The distribution of the fuel subsidy will be facilitated by the DOTr and LTFRB, in accordance with their established procedures and schedule, it added.
The LTFRB earlier said it is eyeing digital transaction for the distribution of the cash assistance to the public transportation sector.
LTFRB chairperson, Atty. Vigor Mendoza II, said they already invited electronic money issuers (EMIs) in the country to be the payment channel provider for the fuel subsidy distribution, worth P5,000, each beneficiary. “In engaging the services of EMIs, our goal is to ensure an efficient, secure and transparent distribution of fuel subsidy assistance to program beneficiaries.” ||
