Palace: Gov’t eyeing another round of cash aid for displaced jeepney drivers

MANILA, Philippines — The government is studying the possibility of giving jeepney drivers affected by the coronavirus lockdown another round of cash assistance this month.

“Pinag-aaralan na po na bigyan pangatlong buwang ayuda ang mga jeepney drivers na nawalan ng hanapbuhay po dahil hindi pa po pinapayagang bumiyahe ang ating mga jeepney,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised press briefing Thursday.

(We are studying to give third-month cash assistance to jeepney drivers who have lost their jobs because our jeepneys have not been allowed to travel.)

“Ito po ay manggagaling pa rin doon sa Bayanihan Act,” he added.

(It will still come from the Bayanihan Act.)

Under the government’s cash assistance program, some 18 million families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will be given cash aid of P5,000 to 8,000 for the months of April and May.

Jeepneys are still not allowed to ply their routes even after the government eased the coronavirus lockdown starting June 1.

Only rail lines and bus augmentation units, taxis, transport network vehicle services (TNVS), shuttle services, point-to-point buses, and bicycles were allowed to operate although in a limited capacity.

Jeepneys, along with UV Express vehicles, will only be allowed to resume operations starting June 22.

/MUF