Sen. Grace Poe. File photo / Henzberg Austria / Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Government agencies should use user-friendly cash transfer schemes to fast-track the distribution of cash aid to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers affected by the lockdown brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.
Senator Grace Poe issued the suggestion on Wednesday, noting that thousands of PUV drivers with no income during the COVID-19 quarantine period have yet to receive their cash assistance.
Agencies should use direct money transfers to the account of beneficiaries or through mobile money transfers to hasten the process of delivering the cash assistance to the hands of the drivers.
“Pwedeng kunin ng mga organisasyon ng PUV drivers ang pangalan at account number ng kanilang mga miyembro, at direct deposit na ang pera sa account nila, kung meron,” she said.
(PUV organizations can get the names and account number of their members and directly deposit the money to their accounts.)
“Digital cash transfers should be maximized for quicker response, especially in this time of pandemic which requires social distancing,” Poe stressed.
Citing the May 11 report of the executive on the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Poe noted that only 40,418 out of 90,000 PUV and transport network vehicle service drivers have received cash from the government’s social amelioration program.
“Dapat inuuna natin yung mga talagang pinakanangangailangan, mga daily wage earners na nawalan ng trabaho, kasama diyan ang mga drayber ng public utility vehicles natin na nung nag-ECQ, siyempre walang pasada,” Poe said.
(We should prioritize those in need such as daily wage earners who lost their jobs and this include the PUV drivers who were disallowed to ply the streets when the ECQ started.)
She lamented that the distribution of the cash aid was slow even though the list of beneficiaries submitted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has been trimmed from 300,000 to 90,000.
The senator said this has to be resolved immediately, especially with the extension of the lockdown until the end of May.
“Isipin natin ang kapakanan ng mga hindi kaagad papayagang pumasada. Hindi ako magdudunung-dunungan dito, pero ito talaga ay proseso,” she said.
(We should think about the situation of the drivers who were not allowed to do their business on the road. I am not playing smart here but this is really a process.)
“Papupuntahin sila sa DSWD, tapos babalik sa LTFRB, and LTFRB ipapasa naman sa LandBank. Baka naman pwedeng mula sa LTFRB ay mapadali ang proseso sa pagkuha ng pera,” Poe stressed.
(They are directed to go to DSWD, then go back to LTFRB, and the LTFRB will tell them to go to LandBank. Maybe it is possible that from the LTFRB we can expedite the process of getting the cash [assistance].)