The Presidential Commission on Urban Poor wants a private sector partnership for discounts on fuel, medicine and even a review center for those identified as poorest of the poor.
At a media briefing, PCUP chairperson and chief executive officer Alvin Feliciano said it has partnered with Clean Fuel of Quezon City Rep. Jesus Manuel Suntay to provide motor bikers from the marginalized sector with a fuel discount not only in Metro Manila but all over the country.
“The poor do not own cars. Many of them own motorcycles because that is the cheapest unit of transportation,” he told the Manila Standard.
The government and the oil company have already agreed in principle, he said.
“We are working on the system and as to how much would the discount be as well as the issuance and design of the privilege card for such purpose,” he added.
A 5 percent or 10-percent discount for every liter of the pump product “means a lot for the poor,” he said.
According to Feliciano, one of his friends, the multi-awarded entrepreneur and author Dr. Carl Balita, has also agreed to offer a discount for poor students who would want to enroll at the Carl Balita Review Center.
“Our partnership is already on the pipeline. Many children from the poorest of the poor families could not afford to enroll for a review before they take civil service eligibility, board or licensure exams. We must not deprive them of this kind of privilege,” he said.
He said the PCUP is designing a program for the destitute with at least five children to be able to avail of a discounted price for medicine from giant drug stores as part of their corporate social responsibility.
“We really have to closely coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to identify who the poorest of the poor are,” he said.
The PCUP commissioners have passed an en banc resolution asking the House of Representatives to author a bill in institutionalizing the agency’s adopt-a-poor community program and urban poor discount on select items.