The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has distributed over P5.7 million in cash subsidy to more than 1,000 public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers across the country under the government's Service Contracting Program.
According to the LTFRB, at least 1,440 PUV drivers in Metro Manila, Ilocos region, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Northern Mindanao received the initial subsidy worth P4,000 each as of Jan. 15.
These include drivers of traditional and modern public utility jeepneys (PUJs), as well as public utility buses (PUBs) who qualified under the Service Contracting Program launched by the LTFRB and the DOTr to those who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The LTFRB said driver-beneficiaries of the initial subsidy per region were: NCR: 508 traditional PUJ drivers, 101 modern PUJ drivers; Region 1: 236 traditional PUJ drivers, 15 modern PUJ drivers; Region 4: 161 traditional PUJ drivers; Region 6: 144 traditional PUJ drivers; Region 7: 148 PUB drivers; Region 9: 109 traditional PUJ drivers, and Region 10: 17 traditional PUJ drivers.
The cash assistance was distributed by the LTFRB to the drivers through their Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) account or their registered e-wallets such as GCash or PayMaya.
The LTFRB added that more drivers in different regions are expected to receive their initial subsidy under the program in the coming days.
Drivers who have received the initial subsidy were reminded to log in to the Service Contracting Driver App through go.sakay.ph/driver for every transit to qualify for an additional weekly subsidy.
At least 60,000 PUV drivers are expected to benefit from the Service Contracting Program which aims to aid in their everyday operational expenses such as gasoline, boundary, and other expenses to help them abide by the "quarantine protocols."
Some P5.58 billion has been allotted for its implementation under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the "Bayanihan 2."