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Pasig City to spend P55.5M to provide financial assistance for PUV drivers
Pasig City will spend over P55.5 million to provide financial assistance for public transport drivers affected by the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
In a tweet on Thursday, Mayor Vico Sotto said 18,500 drivers of jeepneys, tricycles, and UV Express will receive P3,000 each.
The cash will be distributed by schedule starting on Monday, March 30.
"Gagawin po namin by batches," Sotto told Mariz Umali in a report for "24 Oras." "'Yung maliliit na toda puwede na pong sabay-sabay. We will just exercise social distancing. 'Yung malalaking toda, hahatiin po namin by batch."
READ: Vico Sotto says he has no time for trolls: 'We are just trying to do our best to save lives'
Drivers were hit hard by the quarantine measures as public transportation was suspended
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"Nagpapasalamat po kami ma'am at may ayuda na ngayon," a tricycle driver said. "Pang bigas, pang ulam ulam para sa aming mga pamilya."
Sotto earlier appealed to allow tricycle trips to ferry healthcare workers and other frontliners, but it was thumbed down by the national government.
Some drivers removed their side cars to risk picking up passengers via motorcycle. Some are asking for the local government for work to earn income for their families.
"Kahit anong trabaho po basta magkaroon lang ng pambili ng gatas sa mga anak," said another driver. "Syempre mahirap po sa amin 'yun na umasa na lang sa kanila. Eh kaso wala po talagang magagawa kasi yung hanapbuhay namin wala talaga eh."
Sotto said the local government can provide temporary jobs for some drivers, but they cannot give a job for each of the city's 12,000 tricycle drivers, 5,800 jeepney drivers, and 700 UV Express drivers.
"Kaya nga po din maraming ginagawa ang Pasig para matulungan 'yung mga tao kahit papaano," he said.
Pasig will distribute 400,000 food packs and 8,000 bottles of vitamins to residents who remain quarantined at home to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19. --MGP, GMA News