The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered all the local government units (LGUs) Friday, April 22, to submit the validated list of qualified tricycle drivers in the department’s regional offices on or before April 26 as another round of fuel subsidy is in the offing.
Under the Pantawid Pasada Program spearheaded by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the subsidy aims to provide some relief to the tricycle drivers who were affected by the soaring prices of oil petroleum products.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that city and municipal local chief executives (LCEs) are expected to come up with the list to expedite the process of aiding tricycle drivers whose meager income were further cut by the recent oil price hikes.
He added that the said list, once validated, shall be the basis of the DOTr-LTFRB in granting the fuel subsidy.
“I urge all city and municipal LCEs to produce a validated list of qualified tricycle drivers who will receive the Pantawid Pasada Program fuel subsidy. Kailangan po ito ng ating mga kababayang tricycle drivers (This is needed by the tricycle drivers who have been burdened by the recent unprecedented oil price hikes),’’ Año said.
He requested the LCE to expedite the submission of the validated list to lessen the burden of the tricycle drivers who are reeling from the effects of the oil price hikes.
Under the Fuel Subsidy Program or Pantawid Pasada Program which will be funded through General Appropriations Act of 2022, fuel assistance amounting to P6,500 will be directly provided not only to affected jeepney drivers but also to qualified drivers of UV express, mini buses, buses, shuttle services, taxis, tricycles, and other full-time ride-hailing (e.g., transport network vehicle service or TNVS and motorcycle taxis) and delivery services nationwide.
Through DILG Memorandum Circular 2022-047, Año said the LGUs must produce a validated list of tricycle drivers, tricycle franchisees, addresses, electronic wallet accounts and number of operating tricycles and other details within their respective jurisdictions.
He noted that the details must be prepared and certified correct by the Head of the Tricycle Franchising Board and the head of the local Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA).
"Ito din ay kailangang certified ng city or municipal mayors at vice mayors (This should also be certified by the city or municipal mayors and vice mayors). This is to ensure that the list we will forward to the DOTr-LTFRB is correct and legitimate," Año said.
Likewise, the LGUs must transmit the validated list of beneficiaries to the DILG Regional Office which will serve as a reference document in the distribution of the fuel subsidy to the tricycle drivers, ensure that the fuel subsidy will be utilized for fuel purchases and payments only and, coordinate with the concerned beneficiary in case of inconsistencies and insufficiencies in details or information.
Complaint desk
The DILG chief also urged the city and municipal mayors to set-up a "Pantawid Pasada" assistance and complaint desk or hotline to address concerns and complaints from the beneficiaries of the list regarding the fuel subsidy.
“In as much as we want to assist everyone, we must abide by the set parameters kaya hinihiling namin ang pangunguna ng mga LGU at kooperasyon ng ating mga tricycle driver upang mabilis na maibaba ang fuel subsidy na ito sa kanila (that is why we are asking the LGU to take the lead and cooperation of the tricycle drivers to speed up the fuel subsidy distribution to them),’’ Año said.
He added “the distribution of the fuel subsidy shall the responsibility of the DOTr-LTFRB and shall be disseminated through the e-wallet account submitted by the beneficiaries.’’