LTFRB-7 starts distribution of fuel cash cards

CEBU, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Central Visayas has started the distribution of Pantawid Pasada fuel voucher cards to jeepney operators.

Only 47 cards have been distributed since the other day, said LTFRB-7 Regional Director Eduardo Montealto.

“The fuel subsidy is meant to cover the excise tax on fuel that has been affecting drivers since the passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law in January,” he said.

The P5,000 cash card may only be used for gas and cannot be withdrawn from ATMs.

For Central Visayas, LTFRB has allocated 14,000 cards. Each card is loaded with P5,000.

Montealto said jeepney operators have until October this year to claim their cards.

To claim the card, jeepney drivers must check the legitimacy of their franchises on the LTFRB website and once confirmed, bring a government-issued ID, a photocopy of the ID, and a 1x1 picture to the designated cash card issuance station of their regions.

Montealto said only public utility jeepney franchise holders with valid registrations are entitled to claim their Pantawid Pasada Cards.

“Only legitimate franchise holders of PUJs can avail of this program,” he said.

Montealto said the jeepney operators shall be the one to give the cards to the drivers since the former are the franchise holders.

Ryan Benjamin Yu, general manager and president of Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multi-purpose Cooperative (CITRASCO), said the transport sector is grateful to the government.

CITRASCO, the biggest transport cooperative in the Visayas, has over 1,800 jeepney units with 400 operators and around 1,500 jeepney drivers.

The government has allocated P977 million for the project to cover the remaining months of 2018, from July to December.

The fuel subsidy is expected to increase next year.

The budget allocated for the Pantawid Pasada program next year is P3.86 billion, covering the 12 months to December.

The Pantawid Pasada Program is an interim measure of the government to cushion the impact of high fuel prices specifically among the public utility jeepneys.

Transport groups said PUJ drivers use up around 15 to 20 liters of fuel each day on short distance trips. Using a base price of P45 for diesel, a jeepney driver thus spends almost P900 daily for fuel. — KBQ (FREEMAN)