PUV drivers soon to get  fuel vouchers

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is expediting the release of fuel vouchers for subsidy for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers.

This is to cushion the impact of spiraling oil prices after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of funds for such purposes.

DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman has approved the release of P3 billion for the implementation of the fuel subsidy to approximately 1.36 million drivers and operators who were affected by the series of oil price hikes.

Under the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2, the fuel subsidy covers PUVs, including jeepneys, UV Express, mini bus, and bus drivers, shuttle service drivers, taxi drivers, tourist transport service drivers, school transport service drivers, ride-hailing service drivers, delivery service and tricycle drivers.

“Transportation is the lifeblood of our economy. Bilin po sa amin ni President Bongbong Marcos na tulungan at huwag pabayaan ang ating mga manggagawa sa transport sector. Kaya naman po sisiguruhin namin na mabibigyan sila ng nararapat na tulong mula sa gobyerno,” Pangandaman said.

The release of funds in the amount of P3 billion was made upon the request of the DOTr, and in accordance with Special Provision (SP) No. 7 of the DOTr-OSEC agency-specific budget authorized under Republic Act (RA) No. 11936, otherwise known as the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

DOTr made such request last August 9, 2023 but was returned by the DBM on August 17, 2023 due to some deficiencies and inconsistencies in the accompanying supporting documents, including the non-submission of the guidelines to be issued by the DOTr, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the DBM, which is required under SP No. 7 in the FY 2023 DOTr-Office of the Secretary (DOTr-OSEC) Budget.

DBM then received the hard copy of the officially-resubmitted request from the DOTr accompanied by the required supporting documents last September 4, 2023 including a copy of the FSP guidelines dated August 31, 2023 duly signed by the respective heads of the DOTr, DBM, DOE, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and Landbank of the Philippines (LBP).

As identified and validated by the LTFRB, in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the 1.36 million target beneficiaries of the FSP will be given a one-time fuel subsidy, with varying rates depending on the applicable mode of transportation.

Data from the LTFRB shows 280,000 units will receive the one-time cash grant from the agency while 930,000 tricycle driver/operators and an estimated 150,000 delivery service riders will receive the assistance from the DILG and DICT, respectively.

Modernized Public Utility Jeepney (MPUJ) and Modernized Utility Vehicle Express (MUVE) would get P10,000 each, traditional PUJs and UVEs, public utility buses (PUB), mini-buses, taxis, shuttle services taxis, transport network vehicle services, tourist transport services, school transport services, and Filcabs at P6,500 each.

Tricycle and delivery riders, on the other hand, are set to receive P1,000 and P1,200 assistance, respectively.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista has already ordered the LTFRB to immediately distribute the fuel assistance to PUV drivers once the funds are already downloaded to the agency.

“Now that the funds have been approved by the DBM, we will make sure that our PUV drivers get the immediate assistance,” Bautista said, in a statement. (CEBU NEWS)