A total of 59, 280 tricycle drivers in Western Visayas are qualified to receive a fuel cash subsidy under the Pantawid Pasada Program, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The fuel subsidy will be released by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) through the beneficiaries’ e-wallet accounts, branches of the Landbank of the Philippines, or off-site payout by the local government units (LGUs).
“Inaasahan namin na sa pamamagitan ng fuel subsidy na ito, maiibsan kahit paano ang paghihirap ng mga tricycle drivers dulot ng sunod-sunod na pagtaas ng presyo ng krudo at paghina ng biyahe dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic,” DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in a press release.
“Ito ang paraan ng pamahalaan para ipamalas ang kanyang pagmamalasakit sa ating mga tricycle drivers,” he added.
The subsidy will be distributed in three batches. The first batch is for the 539,395 trike drivers who were able to provide an e-wallet account, the second batch is for the 73,233 drivers who will avail of the over-the-counter (OTC) transactions at the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) branch nearest them, and the third batch is for the 5,178 drivers who will avail of on-site payout at the LGUs.
“Lahat ng nasa masterlist ng qualified tricycle drivers ay makakatanggap ng fuel subsidy, Hintayin na lang po natin ang abiso ng LTFRB para sa mga detalye at karagdagang impormasyon” Año said.
Earlier, the DILG issued Memorandum Circular 2022-047 tasking LGUs to produce and submit a validated list of tricycle drivers; tricycle franchisees; addresses; electronic wallet accounts; and a number of operating tricycles, and other details within their respective jurisdictions.
The list must be certified correct by the Head of the Tricycle Franchising Board and the head of the local Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) as well as the concerned city or municipal mayors and vice-mayors.
According to Año, the submitted lists went through a rigid validation and verification process “to ensure that those who are entitled to the fuel subsidy are legitimate drivers who have franchises and licenses and are not colorum.”IMT
