₱5,000 Cash Aid Para sa NCR Tricycle Drivers, Ibibigay Na Bukas — Here's Where to Claim
Good news for tricycle drivers in Metro Manila — the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) are rolling out ₱5,000 cash assistance starting tomorrow, March 17. Around 139,000 tricycle drivers in the National Capital Region are eligible for the fuel subsidy program.
Distribution kicks off at 6:00 AM, with designated venues set up in sports complexes, covered courts, and government facilities across NCR. The cash aid program is the government's direct response to the massive fuel price hikes driven by the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has sent diesel and gasoline prices skyrocketing in recent weeks.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto also announced that tricycle drivers in his city will be the first batch to receive the aid, followed by jeepney, UV Express, and TNVS drivers. Meanwhile, in a creative twist, Marikina City launched a 'Padyak Papasok: Bike to Work' challenge encouraging City Hall employees to bike to work amid the fuel crisis.
On the legislative front, the House of Representatives is also moving fast — they approved House Bill 8418 on second reading last Wednesday, which would grant President Marcos the authority to suspend fuel excise taxes during economic emergencies. The president has certified the measure as urgent, and the bill allows suspension or reduction for up to six months, extendable to one year with congressional approval.
With fuel prices expected to remain volatile as the Middle East situation continues, these stopgap measures provide temporary relief — pero the bigger question is whether the government can implement more sustainable solutions before transport workers and commuters hit their breaking point.
Source: The Manila Times
