Gatchalian blames LGUs, DILG over delayed fuel subsidy for 617,000 trike drivers

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday faulted local government units and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) over the delayed release of the fuel subsidy for over 617,000 tricycle drivers in the country, saying the delay was due to inaccurate names submitted by these agencies to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Gatchalian, in a statement, said he received information that a random check made by the Land Bank of the Philippines showed that a number of those in the list of targeted beneficiaries submitted by the DILG and LGUs did not match with the names of e-wallet account holders, prompting the LTFRB to ask the DILG to correct the list.

“Hanggang ngayon ay wala pang tricycle driver na nakakuha ng kanilang ayuda. Walang saysay ang pamamahagi ng ayuda kung matagal itong naaantala habang tuloy-tuloy na tumataas ang presyo ng krudo," Gatchalian said.

(Not a single tricycle driver received this subsidy to this day. A government subsidy is useless if it does not reach the beneficiaries amid rising oil prices.)

"Malaking bagay ang programang Pantawid Pasada para sa kanila, na tulad din ng ibang PUV drivers, ay umaasa sa arawang pamamasada at apektado rin ng nagtataasang presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin,” Gatchalian added.

(The Pantawid Pasada is a big deal to them, who like other PUV drivers, depend on their daily trips and are affected by the rise in prices of basic goods.)

Gatchalian noted that the distribution of the first tranche of the fuel subsidy for tricycle drivers was intended to be distributed last May but the DILG only submitted its final list only during the second week of June.

Gatchalian then cited DILG Memorandum Circular 2022-047 which directs LGUs to submit a validated list of tricycle drivers, tricycle franchisees, addresses, electronic wallet accounts, and the number of operating tricycles and other details within their respective jurisdictions.

The said details must be prepared and certified correct by the head of the Tricycle Franchising Board and the head of the local Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) and certified as well by the city or municipal mayors and vice mayors to ensure that the list forwarded to the LTFRB is correct and legitimate.

Unlike the other beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pasada in which the eligible public utility driver-beneficiaries receive their subsidies through their existing cash cards, Landbank is supposed to remit the subsidies of non-cardholders like tricycle drivers through e-wallets.

As a remedy, Gatchalian said that the LTFRB and Landbank will issue supplemental guidelines to allow the beneficiaries to claim their Pantawid Pasada or fuel subsidy “over the counter” in any Landbank branch nationwide, provided they present a valid driver’s license.

“Hopefully, the DILG and LGUs will be able to finalize this week the list to begin the process of distributing the fuel subsidy of P1,000 each to all 617,806 tricycle driver-beneficiaries all over the country,” Gatchalian added.

GMA News Online has reached out to Acting DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos for comment but he has yet to reply as of posting time. — DVM, GMA News