Tupad program online application for PUJ drivers

THE Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) said public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers who wish to avail of the financial aid can now submit their application online after the office suspended its walk-in application.

CTTMO head Dionisio Abude said they suspended the walk-in application for drivers who are interested in availing the P11,880-city assistance under Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program after applicants failed to comply with social distancing.

Abude said based on the two-day application held at their office, he said drivers were no longer following the mandated one-meter distancing as they were rushing to avail of the slot in their respective routes.

“Gi-stop usa namo ang pag-register kay katong unang experience namo, gatapok gyud sila. Bisan unsaon namo pag-advise sa ila nga mag-distance og one meter away, di gyud sila mapugngan kay ga-unhanay gyud sila. (We temporarily stopped the walk-in application because based on our experience and despite our constant reminder for them to practice one-meter distancing, they still defied our mandate. We were not able to control them as they were already rushing to be prioritized in the application),” Abude said.

He reiterated the directive of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to refrain from conducting mass gathering, which was seen during the application.

Duterte-Carpio disallowed mass gatherings since the city is placed under community quarantine.

Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) supervising commissioner for Mindanao and Tupad coordinator Norman Baloro said they only limited the available slots to 3,000 due to budget constraints.

Abude said interested drivers could still submit their application through their official Facebook page.

However, the traffic chief said there are only 570 slots left for those who wish to avail of the Tupad program, which is on a first-come, first-served basis.

A total of 2,430 PUJs already availed of the program, Abude said, and they will start to operate as Tupad-enrolled drivers.

Under the Tupad program of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), drivers will be mandated to operate while practicing social distancing and sanitizing their units.