LTFRB: Over P1B in cash subsidy already given to PUV operators

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday said over P1 billion have been given to public utility vehicle operators (PUV) under the agency’s and Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) direct cash subsidy program.

In an interview on Dobol B TV, LTFRB officer-in-charge Executive Director Joel Bolano said the P1-billion already disbursed were given out directly to PUV operators.

In a separate statement, the LTFRB said that, since the direct cash subsidy program was launched in November 2020, a total of P1,017,822,000 in subsidies have been given out to 90,318 PUV operators, representing a disbursement rate of 96.55% of the overall funds for the program.

A total of P1.158 billion has been allotted for the cash subsidy program under the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2.

Each operator was given P6,500 subsidy for every PUV unit under his/her franchise, “kung kaya maaaring higit pa sa P6,500 ang makuha ng isang PUV operator (that’s why a PUV operator could get more than P6,500).”

Eligible for the direct cash subsidy are operators of public utility jeepneys, public utility buses, point-to-point buses, mini-buses, UV express vehicles, and FilCab units.

The LTFRB said that subsidies for PUV operators were handed out through the Landbank of the Philippines Pantawid Pasada Program Cash Cards, Landbank accounts, and over-the-counter transactions.

Bolano also clarified issues regarding the payout for those who participated in the DOTr and LTFRB’s service contracting program for bus operators along Edsa Busway.

“Every two weeks ang payout kaso bago ang program, na-delay ng kaunti. Pinipilit nating maging on-time ang payout,” he said.

(The payout is every two weeks but the program is still new, that’s why there are some delays. We are working to make it on-time.)

“Kakulangan sa tao, isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit naantala ang pamamahagi ng payout [The scarcity of personnel is the reason for the delay in payouts],” he added.

Nonetheless, the LTFRB said that as of May 20, it has released P156,694,046.42 in weekly payouts and one-time incentives to bus drivers.

Of the said amount, P140,458,451.63 were handed over to EDSA Busway drivers or 89.64% of the total weekly payouts, according to the LTFRB.

It said that the free ride along EDSA Busway under the service contracting program was launched on April 7, 2021 in response for the call of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to help in the transportation need of health care workers, medical frontliners, and Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR) amid the pandemic.

Based on LTFRB data, the ridership of the “Libreng Sakay” initiative has reached 7,046,971 from March 29 to May 19, which includes free rides along Edsa busway.

“Upang matulungan ang ating mga drayber at operator, naglabas ng kautusan ang LTFRB noong ika-16 ng Abril na nagtataas ng halaga ng insentibong matatanggap ng mga drayber sa libreng sakay, base sa kada kilometrong biyahe [To help drivers and operators, the LTFRB released an order last April 16 which raised the incentives per kilometer to be received by a driver participating in the program],” it said.

“Base sa kautusan, ang bawat bus unit ay makatatanggap ng P82.50 kada kilometro mula orihinal na P52.50 [Based on the order, each bus unit will receive P82.50 incentive per kilometer from the original P52.50],” it said.

The LTFRB also gave P20,000 to P25,000 onboarding payments for drivers who participated in the program.

On top of the aforementioned incentives, a driver who will log-in in the system and will service passengers five times a week will receive a P7,000 weekly incentive from the LTFRB. -MDM, GMA News