- Fund ready for 12,000 beneficiaries but LTFRB XI awaits go signal first
AT LEAST 12,000 public utility drivers in the region will receive fuel subsidies under the Pantawid Pasada Program to alleviate the burden of rising gasoline and diesel prices.
However, in an interview on Friday afternoon, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) XI regional director Nonito Llanos III said they are still waiting for the final guidelines before they could start the subsidy distribution.
“More than 12,000 [public vehicles with franchises in the region] and hoping naa pa dugang (we could add more),” he said.
The regional director said on Monday that they submitted to their Central Office all the necessary documents, particularly the list of new taxi operators and other public vehicles that failed to receive previous assistance.
The fuel subsidy in the transportation sector, is the government’s response to the continued increase in the price of petroleum.
Under the program, ₱10,000 will be given to modernized jeepneys and buses. Meanwhile, traditional jeeps, vans, taxis, buses, shuttle services taxis, and transport network vehicle services will receive ₱6,500.
The subsidy is the result of the memorandum of agreement and Joint Memorandum Circular 02, Series of 2023, by the Department of Transportation (DoTr), LTFRB, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Energy, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Land Bank of the Philippines, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Memorandum Circular 2023–038 outlines the guidelines for implementing the fuel subsidy program, including identifying the beneficiaries.
Around 1.36 million beneficiaries will receive the fuel subsidy nationwide.
