(FILE) OLD RIDE The pandemic has sidelined jeepney drivers after public transport is restricted to contain the spread of COVID-19. —RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines – More than 90% of direct cash subsidies or over P900 million have been given to more than 80,249 public utility vehicle (PUV) operators across the country, according to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The LTFRB, in a statement Thursday, said that under the Direct Cash Subsidy Program of the agency and the Department of Transportation, a total of P916,058,000 in subsidies have been handed over to PUV operators in April, bringing the distributed aid to 90.30% of the overall funds for the beneficiaries.
Each operator received P6,500 for every PUV unit under their franchise as cash aid to help them after their livelihoods were hit hard because of the safety protocols imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the LTFRB said.
A total of 178,244 PUV units are expected to receive the financial aid, with the remaining recipients currently undergoing a massive data collection so they can receive the subsidies, it added.
According to the statement, those eligible for the cash aid may include operators of public utility buses, point-to-point buses, public utility jeepneys, mini-buses, UV express vehicles, and FilCab units.
The LTFRB said qualified PUV operators can avail of the direct cash subsidy using their Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) Pantawid Pasada Program Cash Cards, LBP accounts, other existing bank accounts using PESONet and INSTAPay, or over-the-counter withdrawals for servicing LBP branches.
The agency said, however, that they are still drawing up guidelines for over-the-counter transactions, and urged the public to wait for additional announcements in the next few days.
The Direct Cash Subsidy is a program under the Bayanihan To Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2, which aims to provide financial aid to PUV operators who were affected by the government’s measures to stem the spread of COVID-19.
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