BACOLOD City — The city government here has started distributing fuel subsidies to thousands of tricycle drivers who were approved following an appeals process, while continuing its food assistance rollout under the national “Walang Gutom” program.
The payout for qualified members of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Associations (TODA) is being conducted at two venues—SM City Bacolod and Ayala Malls Capitol Central—in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Negros Island Region (NIR).
The beneficiaries were initially excluded from the earlier disbursement held from April 8 to 10, 2026, but were later included after undergoing validation.
Dr. Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga, head of the City Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), confirmed that 3,409 drivers are set to receive fuel subsidies on April 24 and 25, 2026 after passing the verification process.
She said some applicants were disqualified due to duplicate records identified during validation.
To claim the assistance, beneficiaries are required to present a valid driver’s license, along with two photocopies bearing three signatures each.
Authorities added that unclaimed cash assistance will be released on a separate schedule.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the DSWD and the Bacolod City Government.
Earlier, the DSWD-NIR reported in a social media post that it had distributed a total of P169,850,000 in cash assistance to 33,970 tricycle drivers across 19 cities during the three-day payout from April 8 to 10, 2026.
Alongside the fuel subsidy distribution, the DSWD continues to implement the “Walang Gutom” Program, which recently benefited at least 327 residents during a Nutrition Food Redemption activity held at the Bacolod City Government Center.
The program aims to address hunger and malnutrition by providing nutritious food packs and sustained nutritional support to vulnerable households, particularly low-income and indigent families identified through the DSWD’s social welfare database.
The DSSD reiterated its commitment to strengthening social protection programs, especially for marginalized sectors.
Beneficiaries of the “Walang Gutom” Program are selected based on DSWD assessments, while residents seeking assistance are advised to coordinate with their respective barangay social workers.
With both transport and food assistance initiatives underway, Bacolod continues to expand its support systems for sectors most affected by rising costs and economic challenges./PN
