₱1-B fuel subsidy out before yearend - Palace

Malacañang expressed confidence Tuesday, Oct. 26, that the government would be able distribute the ₱1-billion fuel subsidy it had committed to the public transport sector before the end of the year. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque had this to say in response to the sector’s clamor for assistance amid the continuously increasing prices of pump fuel.

"Kumpiyansa kami na maipamamahagi sa nalalabing buwan ng taon ang P1-billion fuel subsidy sa ilalim ng Pantawid Pasada Program ng Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) kung saan ang LandBank ang magdi-distribute diretso sa cash card na inisyu sa mga drayber (We are confident that the P1-billion fuel subsidy under the LTFRB and DOTr will be distributed in the remaining months of the year via the LandBank cash card issued to the drivers)," Roque added.

Chaired by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the DBCC announced the 10-figure subsidy on Monday, Oct. 25. The panel said it would benefit 178,000 PUV drivers.

"This underscores our commitment to cushion the impact of the oil price hikes to the transportation sector," Roque said.

Oil companies have increased the price of fuel for the ninth time this week since August.

Roque said LTFRB officials subsequently met with counterparts from LandBank to discuss the subsidy distribution following the DBCC's announcement.

"Dagdag pa ng LTFRB, kailangan nila munang ayusin ang mga dokumento tulad ng listahan...bilang basehan ng formal fund request sa DBM ngayong linggo (The LTFRB added that it will need to fix first its documents, such as the list...which will be made the basis of its formal fund request to the DBM this week)," he further said.

"Hindi man po natin maiwasan ang pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina at langis ay iniibsan naman po natin ang kahirapan lalung-lalo na iyong mga naghahanapbuhay sa sektor ng transportasyon (While we can't avoid the increase in gasoline and crude prices, we will do what we can in cushioning its blow to workers of the transport sector)," the Palace mouthpiece said.

Roque earlier said Malacañang is studying the possibility of suspending excise tax on fuel — a move that will instantly pull down pump prices by ₱8 to ₱10 per liter.

Directly to drivers

Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP) President Orlando Marquez called on government to give the fuel subsidy directly to the drivers of public utility vehicles instead of allowing transport operators to do it.

Speaking at the Laging Handa briefing, LTOP President Orlando Marquez said if the national government would allow transport operators to distribute the subsidy to their drivers, it may not totally serve its purpose.

“Our recommendation is to give the fuel subsidy to the drivers. It should not be given through the cards of the transport operators because the fuel subsidy may not be used by the public utility vehicles but to the private vehicles of the transport operators,” said Marquez.

The distribution, he said would be given directly to the bona fide PUV drivers through a certification that would be issued by the operators.

Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, meanwhile is asking government to update its database to ensure that the subsidy will reach its intended beneficiaries.

“The government plans to distribute ₱1 billion in aid to PUV drivers. But your president has asked where the money will end up. From the national government, the funds would pass through the local government, and will be validated by several government agencies — but may not reach the intended beneficiaries," he said at a meeting in Lipa City, Batangas with leaders and members of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) and Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA).

“I have repeatedly stressed this — that if our efforts to help will not be data-driven, we cannot achieve our goal," he added.

Lacson noted many Filipinos who needed cash aid (ayuda) under Bayanihan 1 did not get the needed assistance because the government used outdated records, which dated back to 2015. Lacson, whose father worked as a jeepney driver, added that when he pushed for aid amounting to P5.58 billion for PUV drivers under Bayanihan 2, an oversight review showed only one percent of the fund was actually distributed.

"Don't we continue to see PUV drivers in the streets begging for help because they lost their livelihoods?" he asked.

Lacson also suggested that the government's "Libreng Sakay" program tap the services of jeepney drivers, instead of just buses.

"Bakit hindi gamitin ang Libreng Sakay sa jeep na isa-subsidize ng gobyerno sa halip na ibigay libre sakay sa bus (Why not have the Libreng Sakay tap jeepney drivers instead of buses)?" he said.

The no-holds-barred meeting with local transport groups took up issues affecting the transport industry.

On his Twitter account, Lacson noted the issues affecting the transport industry are "more complex than just dealing with the pandemic."