CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office here has provided livelihood assistance to some 25 pedicab drivers in Arayat town, this province, as part of its “Padyak Project”.
The provision was initiated by the local government of Arayat, through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and the DOLE Pampanga Field Office.
DOLE-3 Regional Director Zenaida Angara-Campita said on Monday the pedicabs were distributed directly to each beneficiary.
“Pedicabs, locally known as ‘tri-wheelers’, which serve as alternative means of transportation of Kapampangans for their short commutes, have been a source of livelihood for quite a number of marginalized residents here since the early ’80s up to this very day,” Campita said.
Funds for the livelihood provision, intended to uplift the town’s poor residents, was sourced from the labor agency’s DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program otherwise known as “DILEEP.”
The local government of Arayat, for its part, provided a counterpart assistance of PHP125,000 used for initial payments of beneficiaries’ social protection benefits like SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG.
The counterpart assistance was also used for the provision of beneficiaries’ long sleeved shirts for work and Entrepreneurial Development Training (EDT) to ensure the proper management of their pedicabs.
Campita said the pedicab drivers are projected to earn at least PHP300 to PHP500 a day and that their newly-assembled pedicabs are easy to maintain for everyday use.
“Pedicab drivers usually charge their passengers ranging from PHP10 to PHP20 per trip depending on the distance they need to pedal and at the end of the day would earn a decent amount at par with the region’s prevailing daily minimum wage,” the DOLE official said.
“These human-powered vehicles only need periodic check-ups and occasional replacement of brakes, chains, tires, and other usual wear and tear parts, thus, very minimal maintenance costs on their part,” she added.
Victor Tuano, one of the beneficiaries of the Padyak Project, thanked the DOLE and the local government for the pedicab he received, which he said is a big help for his family. (Ric Sapnu/PNA)
