THE Department of Social Welfare and Development said about a million transport workers across all sectors nationwide benefited from the government’s P5,000 cash aid program, with the government spending nearly P5 billion to fund the initiative.
Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian, during a distribution of cash relief assistance to transport network vehicle service drivers in Quezon City on Monday, said the agency aims to finish the program’s first round by the end of April.
In a separate event, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. vowed continued support for Filipinos affected by the Middle East crisis.
Speaking at the Department of Transportation’s rollout of the service contracting program in Cubao, Quezon City, the President said the transport and commuter sectors should expect sustained subsidies from the government.
“First of all, we will support the drivers, the operators,” he said in Filipino. “Second, the discounts that we are giving are for the passengers.”
The government turned to cash and fuel subsidy distribution to cushion Filipinos from the rising impact of the Middle East crisis.
Mr. Marcos earlier suspended excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene to help household spending.
He has yet to do the same for gasoline and diesel, the products used by vehicles. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
