Only 1% of jeepney drivers got fuel cards

MANILA, Philippines—Only 3,000 “smart” cards were distributed on Monday under the P450-million Pantawid Pasada (Subsidy for Drivers) Program of the government, much to the dismay of jeepney drivers long waiting for the emergency assistance.

Energy Undersecretary Jose M. Layug Jr. said the machine that encodes the information into the cards—including the plate number of the beneficiary’s vehicle, the vehicle type and franchise number and other critical data—could only process 3,000 cards a day.

At this rate, Layug said, the Department of Energy (DoE) would be able to distribute the over 200,000 cards to all the jeepney drivers in two months’ time or by the end of June.

The distribution of smart cards, each containing P1,050 in “load,” is part of the government’s short-term program to help the transport sector cope with spiraling fuel prices. The cards could be used by the government to channel its other incentives to the transport sector over the next five years.

Government officials have stressed that the assistance is merely a temporary measure.

Layug said Monday’s card distribution went well, despite complaints from the militant transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston).

According to Piston, the DoE should have put up a national network of distribution centers across the country to expedite the handing out of the cards to jeepney drivers, who badly need an immediate respite from the continued spikes in the prices of petroleum products.

The 3,000 cards represented less than 10 percent of the franchised jeepneys in Metro Manila, and even less than one percent in the whole country, Piston claimed.

Prices to rise again

According to industry sources, local oil companies are again poised to raise the prices of gasoline by P1.25 up to as much as P1.50 a liter and of diesel by 25 centavos up to 80 centavos a liter.

Oil companies, however, have yet to make the announcement as of press time.

When they do, it will be the 15th time since the beginning of the year that oil firms had raised fuel prices, adding up to a total increase of over P10 per liter for both gasoline and diesel. The only three reductions, on the other hand, were marginal in comparison, at only P1.75 a liter for gasoline and 65 centavos for diesel.

Layug declined to comment on another oil price hike, saying the DoE would wait until the oil companies adjusted their prices.

LPG to cost more

Adding further to the burden of consumers is the P3-per-kilogram increase in the price of cooking gas effective Monday.

Pilipinas Shell announced the price increase for its Shellane brand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) Monday. LPG Marketers Association party-list Rep. Arnel Ty confirmed the price adjustment in a phone interview.

The price movement raised prices of cooking gas by about P33 per 11-kg cylinder. Cooking gas from the member-companies of LPGMA now retails at P730 per cylinder, according to Ty. LPGMA member companies, which supply LPG products to an estimated 30 percent of the Luzon market, carry brands like Island Gas, Regasco Gas, Pinnacle Gas, Cat Gas, M-Gas, Omni Gas and Nation Gas.