Tricycle operators get P150 subsidy

MANILA, Philippines—So, how far will P150 take a tricycle?

Tricycle operators in Metro Manila on Monday began receiving their P150 one-time fuel subsidy from the government, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Tuesday.

Roughly, that would pay for just under three liters of gasoline, or about two to three days’ worth of trips, for a typical tricycle driver.

In a report to Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, DILG- National Capital Region (NCR) Director Renato Brion said plastic cards containing the P150 “load” were distributed to 8,445 tricycle franchise owners in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, the first Metro Manila city to receive the subsidy.

The cash subsidy for tricycle and jeepney operators was the government’s response to the surging fuel prices, dubbing it the Pantawid Pasada, or Public Transport Assistance, Program. It is funded with P450 million.

Some 24,647 tricycle operators in Quezon City are next to receive the subsidy in the total amount of P3.7 million on Wednesday, the DILG said.

The DILG-NCR released last week P15.2 million to 16 Metro Manila cities and one town for the fuel subsidy to 101,216 tricycle franchise owners.