A total of 1,193 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers in Bacolod City received relief from the city government in the form of rice assistance distributed on April 5, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office said.
For many drivers, the rice subsidy comes at a time when their income has been stretched thin due to fuel price increases linked to tensions in the Middle East.
The initiative reflects Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya’s administration’s commitment to serving its people in times of need.
The distribution effort was led by the city government through the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), which moved swiftly to ensure that assistance reached beneficiaries without delay.
To make the process more accessible, the city deployed pick-up trucks to various PUJ terminals across Bacolod, allowing drivers to receive the rice directly at their respective routes.
For drivers like Rene Mark Garcia of Estefania, this assistance is vital as driving is his only source of income.
Garcia and his fellow drivers received five kilograms of rice– an amount that, while simple, carries significant meaning for families who depend daily on earnings from the road.*
