NEARLY 4,000 tricycle drivers received P5,000 in cash assistance at the Lapu-Lapu City Auditorium Gym in Barangay Poblacion on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, to help offset rising fuel costs.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed the cash relief assistance (CRA) to 3,855 drivers from the city’s mainland and island barangays.
Recipients said the CRA is a critical lifeline, as current fuel prices have drastically reduced their daily income.
At 68 years old, tricycle driver Rodrigo Amodia patiently waited in line to claim the assistance.
Amodia, who has been driving for over two decades, recalled that P400 used to be enough to fill his motorcycle’s tank. However, with the ongoing fuel crisis, the same amount now buys only about four liters of gasoline.
“The aid from DSWD will help me cope with the soaring fuel prices,” he said in Cebuano, adding that it also provides extra income to support his seven grandchildren, who all live with him and are attending school.
Another CRA beneficiary, Audie Narvasa, who has been driving for years, lamented that gas prices have become too expensive, with a full tank for his motorcycle now costing P700 to P800.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu, he shared that his income has dropped to P300 to P400 daily, down from the P600 to P800 he used to earn.
“The CRA will help cover my main expenses, particularly fuel and motorcycle maintenance, which are vital for my daily mobility and livelihood,” he said in Cebuano.
DSWD 7 rolled out simultaneous cash payouts in Cebu and Bohol for qualified tricycle drivers in Central Visayas.
Under its CRA program, the DSWD provides a one-time P5,000 financial aid, typically released through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (Akap) program.
The initiative is designed to support vulnerable sectors, particularly public utility vehicle drivers, by helping cushion the impact of soaring fuel costs, inflation, and other economic pressures through immediate, safe, and efficient relief.
City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) officer-in-charge Sheila Baylosis said Lapu-Lapu City’s list of beneficiaries was endorsed to their office by the different barangays.
Baylosis said the CSWDO initially listed 4,135 tricycle drivers, but the number was reduced following verification by the DSWD regional office due to duplicate entries and incomplete information required for the payout.
“We can say that a majority or almost 100 percent (of drivers) were given the cash assistance … We were able to hit the deadline,” said Baylosis. / DPC