Senator calls for extension of fund validity, citing low utilization of transport sector aid
A SENATOR on Sunday sought the extension of the validity of Bayanihan II funds until yearend, citing a report on the low utilization of allocations for transport sector workers who lost their livelihood due to the pandemic.
In a statement, Senator Francis N. Pangilinan said only P40 million or 1% of the P5.58 billion budget for the Service Contracting Program has been used.
The contracting program aims to give income to displaced public utility vehicle drivers by hiring them, through the Department of Transportation, to provide free transport services to health care and other frontline workers.
“May perang nilaan ang Kongreso para sa ating mga jeepney drivers tapos nakikita natin silang namamalimos sa kalye. Mali yan. Gamitin na ang pondong nilaan para sa kanila (There is money allocated by Congress for our jeepney drivers then we see them begging in the streets. That’s wrong. The funds for them must be immediately used),” he said.
The Bayanihan II law, which provided P165.5 billion as government response to the pandemic, is set to expire on June 30.
Mr. Pangilinan said the proposed extension until Dec. 31 will allow the Transportation department and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board “to systematize and speed up the processes of rolling out the program.” — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
