• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Negros Island Region (DSWD NIR) reported that it has distributed P169,850,000 in Cash Relief Assistance to 33,970 tricycle drivers across 19 cities in the region over a three-day payout operation.
Each qualified beneficiary received a P5,000 fuel subsidy, aimed at easing the financial burden brought about by the continued increase in fuel prices, which has significantly affected the daily income of public transport drivers, according to the DSWD.
The distribution of fuel subsidy were held in cities of Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, La Carlota, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay, Sipalay, Talisay, and Victorias in Negros Occidental, as well as cities of Bais, Bayawan, Canlaon, Dumaguete, Guihulngan, and Tanjay in Negros Oriental.
In a statement, DSWD said the implementation of the Cash Relief Assistance is in response to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide immediate support to vulnerable sectors, particularly those heavily impacted by economic pressures.
Following the successful completion of Phase 1, which covered cities across the region, the DSWD NIR is now preparing for Phase 2 of the payout, which will extend fuel subsidies to qualified tricycle drivers in municipalities throughout the Negros Island Region, further expanding the reach of the program.
DSWD NIR assured the public that it will continue to uphold efficiency, and accountability in the implementation of all its programs, reinforcing its commitment to uplift the lives of vulnerable sectors and ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left behind.
The fuel subsidy program is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to extend support to public utility drivers, particularly those in the informal sector such as tricycle operators, who remain among the most affected by fuel price fluctuations.*
