BACOLOD City Mayor Greg Gasataya has asked the National Government for the inclusion of the Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) and Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) drivers and the farmers to the fuel subsidy program.
Gasataya said they already transmitted a verified list of 10,551 local drivers to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as well as the 410 farmers to the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the expedited processing of national fuel subsidies.
"This already included the drivers who protested from the streets. The most important thing for us is that they are validated, meaning they are qualified. So, as soon as we receive a DSWD, we will be able to get the final instruction from the DSWD as to our request,” he said.
Aside from PUJ and PUV drivers with active franchises, it also include the Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) drivers certified by their respective companies, including Grab, Maxim, InDrive, and Joyride.
The mayor noted that the submission covers drivers from firms such as J&T Express, and modernized PUJ drivers, all verified through their respective associations and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Negros Island Region (LTFRB-NIR).
By recommending their inclusion under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, Gasataya ensured that these vulnerable workers are not excluded from government support.
“It depends on the DSWD when they will determine how many they will distribute. They will release them this time to the public transport sector,” Gasataya said.
By bridging the gap between local transport workers and national welfare programs, Gasataya said they aims to ease the daily financial burden carried by Bacolod City's operators and drivers, thereby maintaining the stability of the local public transportation network.
For the farmers, Gasataya said the initial list was also registered in Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) of DA.
He said that aside from the transport groups, they also target to include the farmers in the financial assistance. (MAP)
