Metro Manila, Philippines – The government plans to roll out a fuel subsidy program nationwide as the country braces for the impact of a steep increase in pump prices, especially on public transportation.
In a statement, Senator Raffy Tulfo said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) were tasked to ensure proper and timely distribution of fuel subsidies to the affected sectors.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier greenlit the plan to extend fuel subsidies to motorists, including public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators, amid the rising tension between Israel and Iran.
“The fuel subsidy program will be extended to modern PUV operators and drivers, traditional jeepney drivers, bus drivers, grab drivers, tricycle drivers as well as delivery riders,” said Tulfo, who leads the Senate Committee on Public Services.
According to Transportation Assistant Secretary Michelle de Vera, the Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a certification to allow LTFRB to disburse the allotted ₱2.5 billion available funds to the beneficiaries.
LTFRB Executive Director Loumer Bernabe said the agency would mainly be using existing Pantawid Pasada Cards or fuel cards for distribution of funds.
She said bank-to-bank or E-wallet transfers would be used if the main transfer methods are unavailable.
The subsidy may be distributed and claimed over-the-counter in some Land Bank Philippines servicing branches.
LTFRB will start processing the qualified beneficiaries as soon as the fund is downloaded from DOTr to LTFRB. The process will start on Monday, June 23.
The DOE has warned that supply jitters in the wake of the Israel-Iran conflict may trigger a substantial fuel price hike across all products next week.
