The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will propose public transportation capacity expansion to 100% in Metro Manila amid rising oil prices and increased mobility under alert level 3.
The department said they will recommend the full public transportation capacity to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Thursday, as 81.4% of the region’s population has been fully vaccinated.
This will also address income concerns of drivers and operators amid the ongoing oil price hike which is now in its ninth week.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said it is expecting to complete the processing for the download of the P1 billion fund for fuel subsidy this week.
The subsidy will cover public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers in areas with greater volume of passengers who filed petitions for fare hike.
“Kailangan din talaga natin makipagpulong sa landbank of the philippines because they would be the bank through which these cash grants will be released directly to beneficiaries. Kaninang umaga po naumpisahan yung initial meeting kung paano gagawin ito,” LTFRB Chairperson Martin Delgra said.
The Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas (LTOP) suggested that the subsidies be given directly to drivers instead of operators.
Authorities have yet to finalize the amount to be allocated for each PUJ driver.
Meanwhile, Malacaῆang on Tuesday (Oct. 26) said President Rodrigo Duterte thanks the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) for its timely response to provide cash grants to qualified drivers.
“Kumpiyansa kami na maipamamahagi sa nalalabing buwan ng taon ang one billion fuel subsidy sa ilalim ng Pantawid Pasada Program ng LTFRB, ng Department of Transportation, kung saan ang LandBank ang magdi-distribute diretso sa cash card na inisyu sa mga drayber,” Pres. Spox. Harry Roque said.
Asked whether the 100% capacity is safe, Roque cited the health department’s statement on the possible downgrade to alert level 2 if the COVID-19 figures continue to improve. – Report from Karen Villanda/AG-rir
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