September 22, 2023 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board will resume the distribution of the P3-billion fuel subsidy for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers, LTFRB chief Teofilo Guadiz announced yesterday.
The agency was able to secure an exemption from the spending ban imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as part of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.
The Comelec approved the petition of the LTFRB and Department of Transportation to continue the disbursement of the government’s fuel subsidy program.
“We thank the Comelec for granting our request as well as the public for their understanding, especially the stakeholders affected by the delay in the distribution of the fuel subsidy,” Guadiz said in a statement.
He assured the PUV operators that the disbursement of the cash aid will continue.
The Comelec said the exemption of the fuel subsidy program from the spending ban would not affect the local elections.
The LTFRB said it has credited the cash assistance to the accounts of 63,864 PUV drivers and operators nationwide.
Around 1.36 million PUV operators are set to benefit from the fuel subsidy program amid the continuous fuel price hikes.
Operators of modern jeepneys and UV Express units who are qualified for the fuel subsidy will receive P10,000 each.
Operators of other PUVs, including traditional jeepneys, shuttle services, taxis, tourist and school transport as well as transportation network vehicle services will receive P6,500 each.
Delivery service riders will get P1,200 in fuel subsidy while tricycle drivers will receive P1,000.
