Senator Nancy Binay on Sunday chided the Transportation department for its slow distribution of the “Pantawid Pasada” aid program, which was intended to mitigate the impact of fuel price increases on jeepney drivers and operators.
The senator said the slow distribution, coupled with the fuel price hike and the effect of the second round of excise tax increase this January, was already hurting the pockets of those in the public transport sector.
Because of this, Binay said the DOTr and its attached agency LTFRB should be questioned on the distribution of help to the jeepney drivers and operators.
During the hearings for the proposed 2019 budget of the Transportation department last December, it was found out that only 69,000 beneficiaries received their cards, not even half of the 171,000 intended recipients.
“Jeepney drivers and operators take the brunt of the impact of these increases, since the minimum fare, was restored to P9” Binay said.
Under the social mitigating measures of the tax reform law, jeepney drivers and operators can get a fuel subsidy worth P20,000 this year. Last year, recipients of the “Pantawid Pasada” program received a P5,000 fuel subsidy.
Binay said she might call for another hearing to get an update to know if their distribution for this Pasada assistance to jeepney drivers reached target.
She also called on the LTFRB to strictly monitor the cards’ usage, noting that some drivers complained of not getting the subsidy from their operators, or the subsidy being used for other purposes.
She said LTFRB should also ensure the proper use of fuel subsidy that this should go to the purchase of gasoline or diesel,” she said.
