THE Matina Community Pantry, with Konsensya Dabaw, distributed rice packs to drivers in Davao City as the sector reels from continued fuel price hikes.
Volunteers handed out 251 packs of rice, each weighing three kilos, along with suman and boiled eggs as food assistance.
Mags Maglana, co-convenor of Konsensya Dabaw, said the group gave the aid to drivers passing through their distribution area. She said the support is only temporary but necessary for a sector hit hard by rising fuel costs.
"Kinahanglan og mas sistematikong tubag gikan sa gobyernor para gyud na ang presyo sa krudo ug gasolina [mubaba] mao man gyud na atoang problema (We need a more systematic response from the government so fuel and gasoline prices will truly go down—that’s really our problem.)," she said.
Maglana said the group also served hot meals last week to Route 4 jeepney drivers through Kusina sa Katawhan.
She said many drivers were surprised and grateful, noting the assistance helped cover their daily needs.
Maglana urged Dabawenyos who can help to donate cash or goods through their official Facebook page and encouraged beneficiaries to take only what they need so others can also receive aid.
She said the group plans to expand assistance in the coming days but relies on support from individuals and organizations.
Unlike community pantries during the Covid-19 pandemic, Maglana said volunteers now bring aid closer to drivers, who must keep working to support their families.
The Youth Advocates for Pro-People Transportation (YAPPT) Network launched the pantry on April 1, 2026, in the city’s downtown area, where Konsensya Dabaw also distributed 62 rice packs.
Earlier, jeepney drivers in Davao City staged a transport strike, calling for the removal of VAT and excise taxes on fuel, a rollback of prices to ₱55 per liter, fare hikes, and a ₱1,200 family living wage. They also pushed for stronger government regulation of the oil industry.
Fuel prices are expected to rise further this April based on trading data from March 30 to April 2. Diesel may increase by ₱1.15 per liter, gasoline by ₱1.20, and kerosene by ₱0.80, driven by ongoing tensions in the Middle East. RGP