DSWD eyes completion of cash aid to PUV drivers by May 20, 2026

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is eyeing to finish its distribution of cash relief assistance to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers by May 20.

“The instruction of Secretary Rex Gatchalian to the Operations Cluster is to complete all payout activities ng (by) May 20. So tatapusin na po natin (So we will finish it), that’s nationwide. That’s our commitment to the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT),” said DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao in a media forum on Thursday.

The DSWD is distributing P5,000 each to eligible PUV drivers as cash relief assistance to help ease transport workers’ burden amid the high prices of fuel due to the Middle East conflict.

The agency will resume its payout activities for Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers, motorcycle (MC) taxi riders, and service delivery riders on May 11.

“Next week din po gagawin na ’yung distribution nung cash relief assistance para sa mga MC taxi, service delivery drivers, and TNVS drivers na hindi pa nakapag-claim ng kanilang cash relief assistance nito pong mga nakaraang payout periods natin within the National Capital Region (NCR),” Dumlao said.

(Next week, we will resume the distribution of the cash relief assistance for MC taxi, service delivery drivers, and TNVS drivers who were unable to claim their cash relief assistance during the past payout periods within the National Capital Region.)

The DSWD met with transport network companies (TNCs) earlier this week to guarantee a smooth payout for TNVS drivers, MC taxi riders, and service delivery riders.

Dumlao said the TNCs will be the ones to arrange the logistics requirements and identify the venue for the pay-out.

The TNCs are also in charge of coordination for the payout venues. They will also advise or notify their drivers on the details and schedule of the payout and what strategies will be employed for the distribution of the cash relief assistance.

“The DSWD will just appear in the payout sites at mamamahagi ng tulong pinansyal, but tutulong po tayo sa information dissemination (and distribute financial aid, but we will also help in information dissemination),” Dumlao said.

She added that during the meeting with the TNCs, the DSWD was able to come up with a reconciled list that would be the basis for the master list of beneficiaries for the cash relief assistance.

“Na-reconcile natin ‘yung mga list, natanggal na natin ‘yung mga duplicates, natanggal na natin ‘yung mga erroneous entries (We reconciled the list, we removed the duplicates, we removed the erroneous entries),” Dumlao said.

The DSWD’s Field Offices (FOs) will also resume payouts for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers outside of Metro Manila.

PUV drivers can check the DSWD’s official Facebook page for updates on the payout schedules. — JMA, GMA News