QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte distributed fuel vouchers to 3,982 registered tricycle operators and drivers association (TODA) members.
Fuel vouchers amounting to P500.00 were given on Belmonte’s birthday on March 15, to the first batch of tricycle drivers to help alleviate their burden following the unprecedented spike in fuel prices. The distribution of fuel vouchers will continue in the following days.
“Nasa headline ng balita na patuloy na tumataas ang presyo ng krudo na nagiging malaking pasakit pa sa mga pumapasada nating mga kababayan. Kaya naman nararapat lang na mabigyan sila ng kaunting tulong,” Mayor Belmonte said.
“While we are waiting for the fuel subsidy promised by the national government, we recognize the urgent need to help one of the most vital transportation sectors in our city,” she added.
QC tricycle drivers and operators also received different local government aid during the pandemic including financial assistance, prioritized vaccination drives, and food packages.
Meanwhile, the city council led by Vice Mayor Gian Sotto passed an ordinance introduced by Councilor Franz Pumaren providing a fuel subsidy program to more than 25,000 members of Quezon City TODAs. Qualified tricycles-for-hire shall receive a fuel subsidy of P1000.00 in the form of a fuel voucher which will be distributed by the QC Task Force for Transport and Traffic Management through the Tricycle Regulatory Division. The city council is yet to finalize the implementing rules and regulations and guidelines on the distribution process of said fuel vouchers.
Mayor Belmonte likewise encouraged QCitizens, especially motorists, to avail of free rides under the Q City Bus System in the light of soaring fuel prices.
The said program, launched during the pandemic, provides FREE rides to all commuters and continues to operate in 8 routes: Route 1: Quezon City Hall To Cubao; Route 2: Quezon City Hall To LITEX; Route 3: Welcome Rotonda To Aurora Blvd./Katipunan; Route 4: Quezon City Hall To Gen. Luis; Route 5: Quezon City Hall To Mindanao Ave. Via Visayas Ave.; Route 6: Quezon City Hall To Gilmore; Route 7: Quezon City Hall To Ortigas Avenue Extension; and Route 8: Quezon City Hall To Muñoz. The buses ply their routes every day from 6 AM to 9 PM.
Mayor Belmonte encourages QCitizens to take advantage of this bus augmentation program, which adopts an efficient mode of transportation to ease traffic congestion and lessen the transportation expenses of commuters.
Belmonte also disputed the proliferation of fake news regarding the city government-funded program.
“I condemn those who distribute and share fake news during this situation. Instead, we should all work together in helping those who are still suffering from the ill effects of the pandemic. Let us not impute malice and unfounded claims on an initiative that has served more than 5.2 million commuters since December 2020.”
