The Makati City government will employ electronic money transfer system for its second tranche of financial assistance for 8,376 tricycle, jeepney and pedicab drivers to avoid physical contact and ensure fast delivery of benefits.
Mayor Abigail Binay announced this on Thursday, saying the financial aid of P2,000 for the city’s transport sector will be released through the Makatizen Card and GCash.
The City of Makati is the first local government to adopt contactless methods in disbursing aid to sectors displaced by the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
For drivers who are already Makatizen cardholders, the financial assistance will be credited to their e-Wallets. Those who are not Makatizen cardholders can receive their cash grant through GCash.
The city government earlier asked drivers without Makatizen Cards to fill out application forms. The city would then create a GCash account for them using their mobile numbers.
Binay said 1,826 registered jeepney drivers, 5,952 tricycle drivers, and 598 pedicab drivers will benefit from the financial assistance.
The city chief executive said beneficiaries may cash out or withdraw the financial assistance through GCash Cash In/Cash Out agents by presenting a government-issued ID and a text message confirming the remittance of the cash assistance to their Makatizen card or GCash e-Wallet.
“You can also use the amount credited to your Makatizen card or GCash e-Wallet to buy food and other products, pay bills, or send money to relatives in the provinces through the GCash app,” she explained.
Binay earlier ordered the distribution of around P16.7 million in financial assistance to tricycle, jeepney and pedicab drivers living in Makati. The mayor said the initial amount of P2,000 for each recipient is meant to help the drivers and their families get through the first two weeks of the Enhanced Community Quarantine period.
The city has also provided food packs to some 80,000 public school students from preschool to senior high school to address their nutritional needs.
Other sectors that have been given both financial aid and relief goods from the city include some 2,000 solo parents, 13,000 persons with disabilities, and around 78,000 senior citizens, who also received free maintenance medicines in their homes.
Recently, the city started the distribution of Puregold grocery vouchers worth P500 each to around 100,000 city residents, including condominium-dwellers, as part of the city’s continuing efforts to alleviate the plight of its constituents during the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
