LTFRB starts distribution of fuel subsidy to PUV drivers, operators
The national government has started distributing the P2.5 billion fuel subsidy to drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) as part of the short-term solutions to cushion the impact of the series of big-time oil price hikes, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Wednesday, March 16.
LTFRB Executive Director Kristina Cassion said a total of 264,443 PUV drivers and operators are the target beneficiaries of the program--each of them is entitled to receive P6,500.
“Sinimulan na po ng Land Bank kahapon yung crediting ng fuel subsidy sa mga existing cardholders. Nauna yung public utility jeepneys (PUJs) na may cards under Pantawid Pasada Program (PPP) (The Land Bank started crediting the fuel subsidy to existing cardholders yesterday. First in line were the PUJs with cards under PPP),” Cassion said at Acting Presidential Spokesperson Martin Andanar’s press briefing.
“Inaasahan na magtuloy tuloy and daily crediting nito sa may mga existing cards until Friday this week (We are expecting that the daily crediting will continue until Friday),” she added.
According to Cassion, P1.75 billion out of the P2.5 billion subsidy (70 percent) is allocated to PUVs under LTFRB while P625 million (25 percent) for tricycle drivers under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Another P125 million (five percent) is for delivery services under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
She assured other beneficiaries of continuous card production and distribution until the end of the month.
“Once na ready na yung cards mag-po-post po ang LTFRB sa website at sa ating Facebook page at a-abisuhan natin yung mga beneficiaries na pwede na nilang i-claim (Once the cards are ready, the agency will inform beneficiaries that they may claim them through our website and FB page),” Cassion said.
In an earlier statement, the LTFRB executive director said that the agency would also offer a service contracting program in which the government will pay for the weekly expenses of drivers and operators for the conduct of libreng sakay (free ride) for commuters, aside from the fuel subsidy.