Public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers will receive a ₱5,000 fuel subsidy starting next week, as the government seeks to ease the impact of rising oil prices on transport workers amid Middle East tensions.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the subsidy was directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide immediate relief to drivers affected by surging fuel costs.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto has also convened Metro Manila mayors to coordinate the distribution.
The program will begin in Metro Manila on Tuesday, prioritizing tricycle drivers under local government units, followed by jeepney operators, drivers, and other transport workers. Funds will be released through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
“By Tuesday next week, sisimulan na natin iyong pagbigay ng tulong-pinansiyal na naghahalaga sa ₱5,000 sa mga apektadong sektor na nabanggit ho namin,” Gatchalian said.
Metro Manila mayors will submit official lists of tricycle drivers to ensure smooth processing. The subsidy is expected to expand nationwide after the initial rollout in the capital region.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian noted that ₱30 billion has been allocated from the AICS budget to sustain support if global oil prices continue to rise, emphasizing the classification of transport workers as individuals in crisis due to the financial impact on their livelihoods.