By Luel Galarpe/PNA
CEBU CITY – The Cebu City government is now negotiating for the purchase of 10,000 sacks of rice to be distributed to “habal-habal” (motorcycle-for-hire) drivers affected by the recent implementation of Republic Act 4136 (The Land Transportation and Traffic Code), which bans the use of motorbikes as passenger vehicles.
City administrator Abeth Cuizon said in an interview Thursday that the city government has coordinated with the National Food Authority (NFA) for the said purchase.
The money to be used in the purchase will be taken from the PHP15-million budget, which the city council approved last Monday, as emergency assistance to the affected drivers.
“We have already talked with the NFA regarding our intention to buy 10,000 sacks of rice. But the problem is, the NFA could not just sell us 10,000 sacks outright,” Cuizon said in Cebuano.
She said they learned that there is a process to be followed when it comes to buying a large volume of rice from the NFA.
“We still need to ask permission and seek approval from the NFA Central Office to buy the 10,000 units or sacks of rice,” Cuizon said.
The city government decided to buy 10,000 sacks of rice as there are approximately more than 6,500 habal-habal and ride-hailing application “Angkas” drivers in the city.
Cuizon, however, said they have yet to determine the exact number of affected drivers in the city’s 80 barangays.
She said they are now in the process of formulating the procedure and guidelines as to who among the drivers can avail of the assistance.
