Opposition Senator Francis N. Pangilinan on Monday, Nov 22 called on the expansion of the coverage of Pantawid Pasada Program (PPP) of the government so that taxi, tricycle, and ride hailing and delivery services drivers will also benefit from the program.
During the Senate hybrid public hearing on the proposed P5 trillion national government budget, Pangilinan noted that the allocation of the P5 billion subsidy for the PPP is limited to legitimate public utility jeepney (PUJ) franchise grantees under the existing provisions of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.
Because of such limitation in the law, Pangilinan hopes that a special provision could be crafted so that the financial assistance extended to PUJs under the PPP could be expanded to taxi, tricycle drivers, ride-hailing, and delivery services.
In the same public hearing, Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri expressed his gratitude to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the construction of Bukidnon Airport.
Zubiri specifically thanked Transportation Sec. Arthur Tugade, “who sacrificed his personal ambition for higher office to continue the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program.”
He added Tugade has about seven more months to complete all the projects and expressed confidence that the DOTr secretary would be able to deliver before the end of the Duterte administration.
Zubiri said by the end of 2022, the runway in his home province’s airport would be completed and the terminal by early 2023.
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