Cayetano, Bautista agree to speed up fuel subsidy distribution to tricycle drivers

Two days after a tense exchange at the Commission on Appointments (CA), Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista have agreed to help each other expedite the distribution of fuel subsidies to thousands of tricycle drivers nationwide.

Cayetano and Bautista met on Friday, December 9, to discuss the problem of thousands of tricycle drivers who have yet to receive their share of the P2.5 billion the government had earmarked for the purpose.

The independent senator had raised the matter during Bautista's confirmation hearing before the CA on Wednesday, December 7.

Cayetano said he and Bautista discussed how the subsidies could be implemented more quickly in order to benefit the tricycle driver sector which is still reeling from high fuel prices, inflation, and the still ongoing pandemic.

The senator said Bautista agreed that the distribution could be done by the local government units (LGUs) since these have the experience and capacity to hand out the assistance.

The LGUs also have the list of tricycle drivers in their respective areas, he added.

Cayetano, who is the CA minority leader, revealed during Bautista's confirmation hearing that only around 6,000 tricycle drivers nationwide had received their subsidy.

This is a far cry from the 600,000 tricycle drivers that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) had said were qualified to receive the amount.

Bautista had said the delays were due to the unavailability of master lists of registered tricycle drivers in some LGUs, but Cayetano said the various tricycle operators and drivers associations (TODAs) in the country can be called upon to help in the distribution of the subsidy to their respective members.

He said these transport groups are among the most organized in the country and have complete lists of their members.

Cayetano also said Bautista should bring his expertise as a private sector executive into the DOTr in order to effect change that will benefit not just the transport sector but the transportation system of the country.

Cayetano, Bautista magtutulungan para sa agarang pamamahagi ng fuel subsidy sa tricycle drivers

Dalawang araw matapos ang matalas na pagtatanong ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano kay Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista sa Commission on Appointments (CA), nagkasundo ang dalawa na magtulungan para mapabilis ang pamamahagi ng fuel subsidy sa libo-libong tricycle drivers sa buong bansa.

Nagpulong ang dalawa noong Biyernes, December 9, para pag-usapan ang problema ng mga tricycle driver na hindi pa natatanggap ang bahagi nila sa P2.5 billion na inilaan ng pamahalaan.

Una nang inilabas ng senador ang isyu sa confirmation hearing ni Bautista sa harap ng CA noong Miyerkules, December 7.

Ayon kay Cayetano, pinag-usapan nila ni Bautista kung paano mapapabilis ang pamamahagi ng subsidy dahil hirap na hirap na ang mga tricycle driver bunsod ng mataas na presyo ng gasolina, inflation, at ang pandemya na nakaapekto sa kanilang kabuhayan.

Pumayag aniya si Bautista na idaan ang subsidy sa local government units (LGUs) dahil may kakahayan itong ipamahagi ang cash assistance.

May listahan din ang mga LGU ng mga tricycle driver sa kani-kanilang lugar, dagdag niya.

Noong confirmation hearing, ibinunyag ni Cayetano na 6,000 tricycle drivers pa lang ang nababahaginan ng subsidy. Kaunting kaunti ito kumpara sa 600,000 tricycle drivers na nauna nang sinabi ng Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) na qualified na makatanggap ng halaga.

Katwiran ni Bautista, naantala ang pamamahagi dahil kulang ang master list ng registered tricycle drivers sa ilang mga LGU.

Pero sagot naman ni Cayetano, maaaring magpatulong ang Department of Transportation sa mga tricycle operators and drivers associations (TODAs) dahil organisado ang mga ito at may mga listahan sila ng kani-kanilang mga miyembro.

Hinimok ni Cayetano si Bautista na gamitin ang pagiging dating private sector executive para baguhin at ayusin ang DOTr nang sa gayon ay makinabang ang transport sector at gumanda ang transportation system ng bansa.