Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) drivers' daily earnings won't get reduced as a result of the implementation of the government-subsidized nationwide fare discount. Drivers United for Mass Progress and Equal Rights-Philippine Taxi Drivers Association (DUMPER-PTDA) Rep. Claudine Bautista-Lim made this assurance even as the Service Contracting Program (SCP) is set to take effect next month. "While it may be true that there will be lower fares in favor of commuters, this does not mean drivers will be at a disadvantage because the SCP will fill in the discounts,” Bautista-Lim said. “Walang maluluging driver dito dahil ang pamahalaan ang sasalo sa discount na ‘yan na ipapatupad (No driver will take a loss since the government will subsidize the discount)," she noted. Meanwhile, PUV drivers who will not participate in the SCP will continue to charge non-discounted fare worth at least P12 per head. Upon its implementation, traditional jeepneys will revert to charging P9 - the same fare before the Covid pandemic hit. For modernized jeepneys, the fare will be at P11, while bus fares will be reduced by P3 to P4. Bautista-Lim added that the move by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is very timely as PUVs and the riding public transition to the old normal before the pandemic. More and more PUVs are now plying the country’s major thoroughfares. In a dialogue with the DOTr), Rep. Bautista-Lim maintained that PUV drivers “should be paid on time under the [SCP] and without any hassle". The LTFRB is still determining the number of units joining the SCP given that it has limited funding. DUMPER-PTDA echoed the statement of the LTFRB that students, person with disabilities (PWDs), and senior citizens will enjoy additional discounts under the program. Bautista-Lim, vice chairperson of the House Committees on Transportation and Appropriations, reiterated that under the SCP, the government needs to ensure that the program has sufficient funding to encourage more PUV drivers to join. She underscored the need to push in Congress additional funding for the SCP so it may benefit more commuters.