DOTr disburses P1.5B in transport sector aid 

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has disbursed at least P1.5 billion in relief assistance to the transport sector amid the rising costs of fuel.

“The budget for DOTr is P2.5 billion. To date, we have disbursed P1.5 billion,” DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

Lopez said the disbursement should encourage qualified drivers and operators nationwide to enroll in the government’s service contracting program (SCP) which the department hopes to reach over 19,000 on Monday.

“I received a report yesterday that we reached qualified transport operators because the information campaign was improved. We are expecting over 19,000 PUVs to be qualified under the SCP to start this Monday,” the secretary said.

He said he instructed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to assist qualified drivers and operators not yet enrolled under the SCP, especially through online registration.

“I instructed the LTFRB that within 24 hours, the [operators and drivers] should already be onboarded so they can start joining the program the following day,” Lopez said.

Weak listup

Lopez noted that there were not many registrations logged from qualified drivers and operators since the program was launched last April 15 due to the slow onboarding process of drivers and operators.

Under the SCP, the government will provide traditional jeepneys P30 per kilometer, modern jeepneys P40 per kilometer, and P100 per kilometer for bus units. LTFRB noted that the number of trips covered by the payout are: six trips per day for Edsa carousel buses; up to 100 kilometers per day for buses, UV expresses, and jeepneys.

Lopez also said that once there is more onboarding, many passengers will benefit from the program as they can avail 20% discount for their fare. This discount is on top of the existing 20-percent discount already provided to senior citizens, persons with disabilities and students.

The LTFRB said last Wednesday that the global positioning system (GPS) is no longer required to join the SCP after the DOTr discarded plans to monitor program implementation through the use of a GPS and instead use QR (quick response) code that will be included in the permit to operate in the SCP.

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At the same time, Lopez said the DOTr was coordinating with the Department of Budget and Management to find an available source for the additional P5 billion funding for the SCP so it can be sustained until July.

“Once we roll out this P5 billion additional budget, the coverage of the program will expand and we will include more routes and once this happens, there will be more public utility vehicles for our commuters with a 20-percent fare discount,” he said.

Lopez earlier said that the SCP is allotted P1 billion to be sustained for two weeks, where P800 million is allocated for land-based transportation and P200 million for maritime transportation services.

Lopez clarified that the cash relief assistance of P5,000 is being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program.

Aside from the cash aid rollout for drivers, Lopez said the government is also providing financial aid to qualified operators and drivers under fuel assistance programs.