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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Bakit hindi ibinigay?' LTFRB told to release 'ayuda' for PUV drivers, operators

'Bakit hindi ibinigay?' LTFRB told to release 'ayuda' for PUV drivers, operators

Published Aug 16, 2021 03:12 pm

Transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) prodded on Monday, Aug. 16, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to immediately release the funds intended for drivers and operators affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Jeepney driver Ricardo Legaspi lives inside his vehicle with his family after the lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic stopped his only source of income. (Alvin Kabisan/ File photo/ MANILA BULLETIN)

PISTON national president Mody Floranda made the call after the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the LTFRB for using only 1 percent of the P5.58 billion funds allocated for public utility vehicle (PUV) workers amid the ongoing health crisis.

Based on the 2020 COA report, state auditors said LTFRB only used around P59 million or 1.07 percent of the total budget for the agency’s Service Contracting Program or SCP.

Floranda lamented that the unused funds should have been distributed to the public transport sector as cash assistance for drivers and small operators who have been clamoring for a subsidy since the beginning of the pandemic last year.

"Sa gitna ng pandemya ay hindi nakarating ang sinasabi nilang malaking tulong para sa sektor ng transportation kaya nakakagulat itong inilabas na report ng COA na mayroon pa palang nakatagong P5.5 billion (The subsidy intended for the transport sector this pandemic did not come, that's why it is surprising that the COA report revealed that the LTFRB still has some P5.5 billion in unused funds)," Floranda said in a virtual press briefing.

"Dapat ito ay ipinamigay ng LTFRB sa mga driver at operator sa panahon ng lockdown. Hindi natin alam bakit hindi nila ito binigay (The budget should have been distributed by the LTFRB to drivers and operators during the lockdown. We do not know why they did not release it)," he added.

Citing data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Floranda said only 48,670 drivers and operators out of the around 800,000 nationwide have received the promised subsidy or "ayuda".

Aside from drivers and operators of public utility jeepneys, the transport group leader noted that only a small percentage of workers in other modes of public transportation such as tricycles, public utility buses, taxis, and UV Express have also received aid.

"Ang panawagan po natin ay ipatupad ang P10,000 na ayuda hindi lang sa sektor ng transportation kundi sa lahat ng mamamayan na nawalan ng trabaho sa panahon ng pandemya (We call on the government to give the P10,000 subsidy not only to the transportation sector but also to everyone who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic)," he added.

Related Tags

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) public utility vehicle operators 81621 Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) transport group Commission on Audit (COA) subsidy drivers
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