ILOILO City – To mitigate the impact of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), 236 displaced jeepney operators and drivers in this city have each received P30,000 worth of livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), facilitated by the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative (WVTC).
The handover event, which occurred on Tuesday morning, was led by Raymundo Parcon, chairman of the WVTC, and Halley Alcarde, general manager of the cooperative, alongside officials from DOLE and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The beneficiaries, all members of the WVTC, are among those who have lost their traditional jeepney routes due to the modernization program.
Parcon explained that these members, including older drivers and those with non-operational vehicles, have not been able to work.
“DOLE has granted us a total of P7.36 million for these livelihood projects,” Parcon told Panay News.
The livelihood projects include various small business setups such as grocery stores, frozen food ventures, rice trading, eateries, and laundry services.
To qualify for the assistance, the 236 beneficiaries underwent a series of interviews conducted by DOLE to ensure they met the necessary criteria.
Additionally, DOLE Iloilo officer-in-charge Amy Judicpa reported last month that the cooperative had been allocated a total of P7,036,840 for these individual projects.
“Each eligible member can avail himself of a livelihood project worth P30,000,” Judicpa clarified.
The fund was transferred to the cooperative, which then distributed it to members who proposed viable livelihood projects. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6 endorsed WVTC to avail the DOLE-Iloilo assistance.
To guarantee the success of these ventures, DOLE is collaborating with LTFRB and local government units for ongoing monitoring and support.
Parcon added that successful entrepreneurs among the displaced will receive additional funding from DOLE after one year, subject to their performance and a formal inspection and reporting process.
In January, Atty. Salvador Altura of LTFRB Region 6 reassured that various government agencies are committed to providing continuous support, including livelihood and training opportunities, to those affected by the PUVMP.
“The enTSUPERneur and Tsuper Iskolar programs by DOLE and TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) are integral to addressing the displacement effects,” Altura said./PN
