Gov’t to roll out fuel subsidy to 1.6M PUV, trike drivers

THE government is set to release P2.95 billion in fuel subsidy for public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers to cushion the impact of the increase in fuel prices.

A total of 1,640,000 million PUV drivers will receive fuel assistance, including tricycle drivers and delivery riders.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the Department of Transportation (DOTr), through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), will hasten the distribution of cash assistance.

“We will make sure that the assistance to our PUV drivers will be distributed immediately so they can use it, pay for their fuel and improve their daily income,”Secretary Bautista said.

Data from the LTFRB shows 280,000 PUV drivers will receive the one time cash grant from the agency, while 930,000 tricycle drivers and 150,000 delivery service riders will receive the assistance from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), respectively.

The transport regulator will distribute P10,000 to Modern Public Utility Jeepney (MPUJ) and Modern UV Express (MUVE) drivers, while drivers of other modes of transport will receive P6,500.

Tricycle and delivery riders, on the other hand, are set to receive P1,000 and P1,200 assistance, respectively.

The Department of Energy (DOE) must also certify that the average price for crude oil has exceeded $80 in the last three months.