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MANILA, Philippines — The government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), will launch on Tuesday the first wave of its cash distribution program, initially targeting the transport sector with Metro Manila tricycle drivers as first recipients.
“An estimated 139,000 tricycle drivers will receive financial assistance from DSWD starting on March 17,” DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said yesterday.
With the war in the Middle East between the US-Israel and Iran seen to drag on for weeks, pushing crude prices to record levels, the Marcos administration has set in place several measures to cushion its impact on key sectors, particularly transportation.
Gatchalian said each tricycle driver will receive P5,000 under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) to help them purchase fuel or other basic necessities.
At the Saturday News Forum, DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the distribution would be shielded from politics. “We will ensure financial assistance distribution is insulated from any form of political interferences,” she said.
Gatchalian said the simultaneous payout activity would be implemented in coordination with local government units (LGUs) across 33 payout sites in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Each beneficiary will be required to bring a photocopy and original copy of their driver’s license at the payout venue.
“So we’re going to use the cash relief assistance modality of AICS to be certified by their city government,” DSWD chief said. The drivers will not be interviewed during the payout.
The DSWD has a budget of P60 billion for the AICS program in the 2026 General Appropriations Act, P30 billion of which was already released to the department.
Meanwhile, big-time fuel price hikes have forced some transport network vehicle service drivers to surrender their vehicles to operators and seek alternative sources of income.
“Some TNVS operators with 50 units have noted 10 vehicles were already surrendered,” Laban TNVS president Jun de Leon said in a radio interview.
De Leon noted TNVS drivers now only earn enough to break even from their trips amid rising fuel costs, leaving little to no income from their daily operations.
Instead of shouldering their own operation costs, some TNVS drivers have opted to quit to be personal or family drivers, so employers could cover their fuel expenses.
De Leon said the operators bear the brunt of the losses, especially while still paying the monthly amortizations of their vehicles.
Lowering the boundary costs would not be an option for the operators, De Leon stressed.
