The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and all local government units (LGUs) should expedite the release and distribution of fuel subsidies to the 113,000 tricycle drivers and delivery services riders who are among the intended 337,443 beneficiaries of the P2.5-billion Pantawid Pasada program of the government.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian made the call as he cited the urgency in providing the much-needed aid to all those affected by the continuing oil price increases in the transport sector.
“We need a timetable. Tricycle drivers and delivery service riders are equally important as the other public utility drivers,” Gatchalian told the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) during a Senate hearing.
“Nahihirapan din sila (They are also having a hard time). We’ve been talking about this for the last three weeks,” said Gatchalian, who is seeking another six-year term in the Senate in the upcoming May 2022 elections.
Gatchalian said he believes the LGU officials can dispense the cash quickly and provide the list of beneficiaries in the morning and distribute it in the afternoon.
“It’s just a matter of putting this in motion. We need to raise this to Secretary (Art) Tugade because we have to distribute Pantawid Pasada to tricycle drivers and other entities. We need to get this moving. I’m not satisfied with the uncertainty,” he said.
“Uncertain na nga yung presyo, uncertain pa rin ‘yung subsidy (The prices are uncertain, and yet the subsidy is also uncertain),” the lawmaker lamented.
Gatchalian also said he supports calls for concerned agencies to explore the possibility of raising the fuel subsidy from the current P6,500 to as much as P19,824 per beneficiary as pump prices have increased since January 2022.
“I’m suggesting to increase the Pantawid Pasada to be given to the 377,443 PUVs and other entities because prices of oil have already breached $120 per barrel and it’s moving up continuously,” said the Senate energy committee chair.
“We have to look at increasing the allocated pay per driver due to the high cost of fuel,” he further said.