Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 28) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development plans to include 217,170 public utility vehicle drivers in the country in the waitlisted beneficiaries of the government’s COVID-19 cash assistance.
DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said on Tuesday that 84,014 waitlisted beneficiaries from the National Capital Region were already given cash subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program.
PUV drivers in Cagayan Valley, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and SOCCSKSARGEN have also received cash aid.
Bautista explained that those excluded from the list were covered by other government aid programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino where 24,581 PUV drivers received cash assistance.
He added that about P795 million were allocated for 98,132 drivers in NCR in the first tranche.
In his State of the Nation Address on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said he ordered the DSWD and the Department of Interior and Local Government to investigate complaints of some drivers that they did not get cash aid amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
READ: Duterte orders DSWD, DILG to check on PUV drivers who did not get cash aid
The government implemented quarantine protocols in mid-March to control the spread of the virus. This led to the suspension of public transportation, leaving drivers without source of income.
Bautista said the department is trying its best to meet its end-July target for the distribution of the second tranche of SAP.
As of July 28, a total of P42.8 billion were already distributed to 6.5 million beneficiaries of the program, he said.
The department targets to give out cash aid to 12 million families by July 31.
DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said this covers drivers of public utility jeepneys, buses, UV express, taxis, motorcycle taxis, Transport Network Vehicle Services, and tricycles.
