By Filane Mikee Cervantes/ PNA
MANILA — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday called on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to ensure a 100-percent distribution of the fuel subsidies for public jeepney drivers and operators.
Gatchalian made the call after the LTFRB announced that fuel subsidies under the Pantawid Pasada Program (PPP) would be increased from PHP5,000 last year to PHP20,514 this year.
He noted that only half, or about 87,000, of the intended 173,000 beneficiaries across the country, received their fuel cards in 2018, during a time of high oil prices and rapid inflation peaking at 6.7 percent.
“Now that the fuel subsidy for public utility vehicles has been raised from PHP5,000 to PHP20,000, the Land Transportation Regulatory Board must ensure that all legitimate franchise holders would be able to get their vouchers on time,” he said.
“Kamakailan lamang ay narinig natin ang hinaing ng mga jeepney operators bungad ng sunod-sunod na oil price hike ngayong buwan. Huwag na sana hintayin ng LTFRB na maglunsad pa ang iba’t ibang transport groups ng mga malawakang transport strikebago sila kumilos (Recently, we have heard the concerns of jeepney operators on the continuous oil price hikes this month. The LTFRB should not wait for various transport groups to launch a nationwide transport strike before it acts on the issue),” he added.
The PPP, launched in July last year, seeks to mitigate the impact of fuel price increases due to the imposition of excise taxes under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law and movement of petroleum prices in the world market.
A total of 88,209 fuel subsidy cards were already distributed to beneficiaries from July 17, 2018 to Feb. 24, 2019 based on data from the LTFRB.
The LTFRB reminded legitimate franchise holders of public utility jeepneys to claim their fuel voucher cards at its offices across the country until February 28.
