Jeepney drivers get P701.5 million fuel subsidy

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has disbursed a total of P701.5 million worth of fuel subsidy to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers affected by oil price hikes.

The amount was part of the P2.5 billion funding allocated by the national government for the fuel subsidy program.

During a hearing of the House committee on transportation, Zona Tamayo, officer-in-charge of the LTFRB’s legal division, said 107,926 fuel subsidy cards had been forwarded to the Land Bank of the Philippines for distribution to PUV drivers as of March 18.

Tamayo said the LTFRB has identified 264,443 eligible PUV drivers as beneficiaries based on the agency’s database of legitimate franchise holders.

Each PUV driver will be given P6,500 in fuel subsidy, she said.

Tamayo expressed hope that the distribution of fuel subsidy cards to beneficiaries would be completed this month.

The beneficiaries include bus, jeepney and taxi drivers, delivery riders as well as operators of UV Express, shuttle service, tourist transport, transportation network vehicles, motorcycle taxis and tricycles.