By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In a bid to ensure that no PUV driver gets left behind in the distribution of cash relief assistance, the DSWD and LTFRB are hard at work trying to sort out various issues that affect the effectiveness of the fuel subsidy rollout.
During a press conference on Monday, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian presented figures about the number of PUV drivers that have already received assistance from the agency.
As of press time, the agency has already assisted 256,040 drivers in crisis, accounting for P1.28 billion out of the P30 billion in funds from the 2026 national budget allocated for the distribution of financial aid to drivers.
Secretary Gatchalian went on to tackle various challenges such as unclaimed cash assistance and drivers that did not make it to the lists of eligible fuel subsidy beneficiaries collated by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
He pointed out that some transport network companies (TNC) and private express and messenger delivery services (PEMEDES) excluded drivers with temporary permits from the initial list that they submitted to the LTFRB, adding further complications to the cash relief assistance rollout in the National Capital Region.
The mixup was further aggravated by TNCs misdeclaring some motorcycle taxi drivers as delivery providers, with the latter supposed to receive aid on a different date.
LTFRB Board Member Greg Pua Jr., meanwhile, said that the agency is already looking into the case of approximately 29,000 ‘tempo drivers’ that were intentionally hidden by transport network vehicle services (TNVS) companies and around 78,000 motorcycle taxi riders hidden by PEMEDES operators for the issuance of possible violations and penalties to be imposed against the errant companies.
Pua, however, noted that the TNCs already gave them a list with an additional 53,000 drivers, while another 81,000 additional MC taxi riders were also submitted for verification by the LTFRB, with the agency set to go through the list of names to avoid duplicate entries and ensure that the financial assistance only goes to their intended beneficiaries.
He added that the agency has strengthened its collaboration with the DSWD, and has already formulated teams that will work closely with Metro Manila LGUs to identify tricycle operators and drivers associations (TODAs) and jeepney operators and drivers associations (JODAs) that are absent from the initial list of beneficiaries.
The Social Welfare chief concluded the briefing by announcing a special payout for drivers who are yet to claim assistance from the agency, as well as reiterating the announcement of a nationwide rollout of cash relief assistance to PUV drivers based in provinces across the country on April 6.
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