DSWD: P7.3B in cash aid distributed to 1.4 million PUV drivers

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it has distributed over P7.3 billion in cash aid to more than 1.4 million public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers nationwide.

“Ang atin pong [nabigyan] na ng tulong ang nasa mahigit 1.4 million drivers na. As of yesterday po [May 18] more than 7.3 billion pesos na ang nailabas ng ating pamahalaan sa pagpapatuloy ng pamamahagi ng ating cash relief assistance,” Asst. Secretary and DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said in a radio interview.

(We have already assisted more than 1.4 million drivers. As of yesterday, May 18, more than 7.3 billion pesos have been released by the government as we continue distributing of our cash relief assistance.)

Dumlao said the DSWD will continue giving the payouts for all registered and legitimate drivers included in the validated lists submitted by the Transport Network Companies (TNCs)

Payout for jeepney and tricycle drivers outside the National Capital Region is still ongoing, she added.

"As for PUV drivers within the NCR, the DSWD continues to follow the posted schedules for the special payout of cash assistance to Transport Network Vehicle Service drivers, motorcycle taxis drivers, and service delivery riders," she said.

The DSWD’s special payout for PUV drivers organized per TNC is intended for beneficiaries who have yet to receive their cash aid.

This initiative is part of the government’s ongoing response measures under the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport framework, aimed at assisting sectors heavily impacted by the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The cash relief assistance, provided through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program, offers immediate financial support to public transport drivers whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by rising fuel costs. —LDF, GMA News