THE Cebu Provincial Government and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Central Visayas (LTFRB 7) began distributing 10 kilos of rice to public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers at the Capitol Grounds on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
The first batch covers 2,120 drivers out of a target of 4,000 beneficiaries who are registered voters in the province.
The Provincial Government is also coordinating with transport operators to include additional drivers and fewer than 1,000 non-driving personnel, particularly those operating outside Metro Cebu, whose names are not in the LTFRB 7 validated list.
Provincial officials said the P360 million subsidy is funded under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), downloaded from the national government.
The program aims to supplement existing assistance to sectors heavily affected by the global fuel crisis, including farmers and fisherfolk, who are scheduled to receive their rice subsidies on a staggered basis.
Elizar Sabinay Jr. of the Provincial Planning and Development Office said preparations are ongoing, particularly in packing and logistics, to ensure smooth distribution.
“Currently, we have 4,000 (drivers) but that’s the LTFRB list, but we are supplementing the operators’ list, including non-driving personnel,” said Sabinay.
Distributions will continue weekly in batches, with separate schedules set for the south on April 20 and the north on April 26, including island municipalities.
Sabinay said beneficiaries must be registered transport personnel residing in Cebu Province. The list, provided by LTFRB 7, is being validated and expanded in coordination with transport operators.
He noted that some drivers were not included in the LTFRB list as priority was given to those operating within Metro Cebu, prompting the need to supplement the official data.
Provincial Agriculturist Roldan Saragena said the rice supply was sourced from the Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which consolidated produce from farmers in western Cebu, including Pinamungajan.
A total of 4,570 packs of five kilograms of rice, or 22,850 kilos, were prepared, with beneficiaries receiving two packs each.
Saragena said the rice is a mix of white and red varieties and was procured at P2,650 per 50-kilo sack, lower than market prices. The subsidy is expected to last about a week or more for a driver’s family.
Drivers’ reactions
Ramil Minoza, 30, of Pinamungajan, said supporting a family of six has become very difficult with high fuel prices.
“This is already a big help to us,” he said.
Bryan Labeste, 37, a single father of three from Tabogon, said he earns only P200 to P300 a day.
“Kulang kaayo (My earnings are really not enough),” he said, stressing that even a little assistance from the government is a big help. Labeste urged the government to give more attention to the transport sector, saying drivers are among the first affected by rising fuel prices.
Roberto Martinez, 80, a jeepney driver from Dumanjug town who now resides in Banawa, Cebu City, couldn’t hold back tears as he received his rice subsidy.
Assisted in a wheelchair after feeling dizzy from the scorching heat, Martinez said he stopped driving on March 24, as his earnings could no longer cover his daily needs, including maintenance medicines. He now lives alone following his wife’s death.
The Provincial Government is also set to extend assistance to habal-habal drivers, with an initial list of 5,000 beneficiaries. The next distribution is scheduled on April 15 in Cordova, where recipients will receive both rice and financial assistance of P3,000.
Sabinay said the budget for this component is estimated at P100 million to P150 million, with future distributions conducted by cluster to manage crowd volume and ensure
orderly rollout.
In a previous report by SunStar Cebu on March 20, the transport sector was slated to receive P100 million in fuel subsidies, providing P3,000 to P5,000 to habal-habal drivers not covered by other government aid, with the province exploring a fuel voucher system with local gas stations. / CDF