THE LAND Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) XI has begun the manual distribution of fuel subsidies to drivers in the Davao Region who are unable to receive their grants electronically.
LTFRB XI regional director Nonito Llanos III confirmed on Thursday evening, April 23, that the first batch of manual payouts targeted 322 van and taxi drivers who encountered problems with their e-wallets or bank accounts.
While the agency prefers electronic transfers for speed, Llanos emphasized that no driver should be left behind due to technical issues.
Llanos clarified that the amount of aid depends on the vehicle type and existing government assistance:
- Taxi and van drivers: Eligible for a ₱5,000 subsidy from the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
- Public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers: Eligible for a total of ₱6,500. This consists of ₱5,000 already distributed via the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, plus an additional ₱1,500 from the DOTr/LTFRB fuel subsidy.
Despite the fund availability, the agency is struggling to reach all 322 drivers in the initial manual batch.
“As of this afternoon, we haven’t reached the full 322, even though we called them. Probably, some drivers haven’t claimed it because they aren’t aware yet,” Llanos said. He noted that the agency has assigned 12 staff members to contact beneficiaries, but many numbers remain unreachable. The LTFRB plans to shift to SMS/text blasts as a secondary strategy.
There are approximately 22,000 driver-beneficiaries across the Davao Region eligible for the fuel subsidy program.
The initiative aims to cushion the impact of rising fuel costs exacerbated by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
Llanos also mentioned that more aid might be on the horizon.
The agency has already submitted a list of 1,000 potential beneficiaries in Davao City to the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Energy for additional “ayuda” programs currently in the planning stages.
