ILOILO City — Thousands of tricycle drivers across Western Visayas will begin receiving P5,000 in cash assistance starting April 8, as the government moves to cushion the impact of surging fuel prices driven by the Middle East crisis, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced.
The aid rollout targets drivers whose earnings have been severely eroded by skyrocketing petroleum costs — marking one of the most direct interventions yet for the struggling informal transport sector in the region.
DSWD Region 6 director Joselito Estember confirmed that payouts will prioritize registered members of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Associations (TODA), with distribution set to begin in highly urbanized and component cities.
The assistance is part of the government’s response to rising fuel costs that have significantly cut into drivers’ daily income, forcing many to operate at a loss or reduce trips.
Estember said the requirements for claiming the cash aid are minimal.
“Una gid ang aton drivers magdala sang physical ID (identification card) ukon driver’s license kag kinahanglan kamo gid mismo ang mag-claim sang amo ‘ni nga assistance. Ginapanugyan naton nga ang sa listahan lang gid ang puede makakadto sa amon payout site nga gin-validate sang DSWD,” he added.
Driver eligibility will be based on lists submitted by local government units (LGUs), which issue TODA franchises. These lists will undergo DSWD validation to eliminate duplicate entries before payroll preparation.
The payout will initially cover drivers in Iloilo City, Passi City, Roxas City, and nearby municipalities, with operators who personally drive their tricycles also qualified to receive the aid.
The program expands on the pilot implementation earlier launched in Metro Manila by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
“Tandaan naton, ang DSWD ari lang ang mag-alalay sa inyo sa tion sang krisis,” Estember said. /PN
