Manila: A total of 22,937 transport network vehicle services (TNVS) drivers each received PHP5,000 in cash relief assistance (CRA) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday to help their families cope with the effects of rising petroleum prices. The total number represents 84.39 percent of the total TNVS target beneficiaries provided to the DSWD by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
According to Philippines News Agency, the DSWD assured the public that it will schedule a special payout to accommodate additional public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers who were not included in the original list of CRA beneficiaries. 'We understand that some drivers were not included in the list, that's why reminder po namin sa kanila (our reminder to them) is to submit their names and copy of their valid driver's license dun sa kanilang (to their) transport regulatory unit so that the same would be submitted or forwarded to the LTFRB),' DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a televised interview on Wednesday.
She reiterated that PUV drivers who are not on the official list may bring their valid driver's license, along with a photocopy, and submit it to the LTFRB help desk. 'Kasi iyan po ang bilin ng Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na dapat lahat ng mga drivers natin (The directive of President Marcos is all drivers) who are facing various challenges as a result of the continued increase of fuel prices ay matulungan natin (should be assisted),' Dumlao said.
For TNVS drivers whose names were not found in the official list of beneficiaries, Dumlao said DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian will have a meeting with Grab Philippines on how they will be able to include the names of their 'temporary drivers' in the list of CRA beneficiaries. 'We would like to inform the public that DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian will be meeting representatives of Grab, which is one of the TNVS operators or companies, to address this particular concern. .whatever will be agreed upon, we will communicate it to the public. On the part of the DSWD, our objective is to include the drivers who were not reflected in the list at mabigyan po natin sila ng tulong (so we could provide them with assistance),' the DSWD spokesperson said.
She also shared that all of the Department's Field Offices (FOs) are coordinating with local government units and LTFRB regional offices to prepare for the regional CRA payouts after Holy Week. 'Even as we speak, our Field Offices are coordinating with the local government units for the list of tricycle drivers and the regional LTFRB offices for the drivers of the jeepney and other PUV drivers,' Dumlao said.
With the declaration of a state of national energy emergency by President Marcos, Dumlao also assured that the DSWD remains ready to speed up the provision of assistance to affected sectors, including the transport sector, to help cushion the impact of the rising prices of fuel products brought about by the Middle East crisis.
