Tricycle drivers get P5,000 aid

THE Philippines on Tuesday started rolling out cash relief assistance for tricycle drivers in the capital region, one of the country’s most used modes of transportation, to soften the impact of the rising fuel costs amid the Middle East crisis.

About 139,000 tricycle drivers in Metro Manila received a P5,000 subsidy from the government. Jeepneys, ride-hailing cars and motorcycles, taxis and buses in the capital region will follow in the coming weeks, encompassing almost 400,000 public transport drivers.

The government will roll out the assistance nationwide by April, as lists of beneficiaries are still being ironed out.

“This is just the beginning of the distribution. This is something that we have to do because of the sudden increase in oil prices,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. told reporters on Tuesday.

The conflict in the Middle East forced local retailers to hike prices for two consecutive weeks, with motorists bracing for as much as P115 per liter of diesel.

Mr. Marcos assured Filipinos that the government is closely monitoring the conflict to ensure uninterrupted livelihood.

Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the government will also launch free rides for commuters as the minimum fare for public utility vehicles rose on Tuesday.

“There will be various modalities. We can deploy government-owned vehicles, for example. Or even contract buses and designate these as fare-free rides,” he said in a statement. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana