At least 2,111 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers in Bacolod City received cash relief assistance (CRA) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development – Negros Island Region (DSWD-NIR) starting Thursday, May 14.
The three-day payout is being held at SM City Bacolod with assistance from the city’s Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD).
Each beneficiary is entitled to receive P5,000 to help ease the impact of rising fuel prices amid the Middle East conflict.
In an interview, DSSD head Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga said those included in the payroll are PUJ drivers listed in the database of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which then forwarded the list of beneficiaries to the DSWD.
“This is for the jeepney drivers for now. For those from other sectors, such as taxi drivers, we are still waiting for an update,” she added.
Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers-Manibela president Rudy Catedral welcomed the financial assistance extended to the jeepney drivers within their group.
“We are happy and thankful for this, especially to the local government unit, which also endorsed our inclusion in the list. Despite being unconsolidated and not yet renewed, the LTFRB granted our request for assistance,” he added.
Last month, 13,026 tricycle drivers in the city also received the PHP5,000 CRA, including 9,617 drivers in the initial batch of payout and an additional 3,409 beneficiaries in the final batch, DSSD records showed.*
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