Ghost’ drivers in fuel aid list?

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr. has warned that alleged “ghost habal-habal drivers” are being inserted into beneficiary lists, cautioning that political maneuvering could undermine the integrity of the city’s ?35-million aid program for motorcycle-for-hire operators.

In an interview with The Freeman yesterday, Alcover said he learned that new lists of supposed drivers were being compiled despite the city already maintaining an official registry.

“Daghan naman gud kaayo ning gilista-lista diri ba nga mga habal-habal drivers kuno… mura nag napolitika ba,” he said.

Alcover noted that the lists are mostly from areas whose barangay captains are opposed to Mayor Nestor Archival.

He stressed that the official registry, established in 2024 under Cebu City’s Motorcycle-for-Hire Ordinance, must remain the basis for aid distribution.

“Una tagaan gyud og priority ang listahan gyud nga habal-habal driver sa City Hall kay naa man tay ordinansa ana,” Alcover said.

The ordinance created a framework for accreditation, requiring drivers to register, secure identification cards, and wear vests for visibility. The measure sought to balance public safety with livelihood protection, institutionalizing a sector long considered informal.

By 2024, more than 8,000 drivers across the city’s north and south districts had been recorded.

Alcover warned that the current subsidy process risks being hijacked by opportunists.

“Abi kay naay motor, habal-habal na dayon,” he said, adding that only registered drivers should qualify.

He urged barangay captains to double-check names to confirm whether drivers remain active, noting that some may have shifted to other jobs.

“Let the barangay captains confirm kun naa pa ba ni… dili kay kadtong nag lista-lista lang. Klaro ng binoang to,” he added.

Earlier, Mayor Archival said that once Supplemental Budget No. 1 (SB1) is approved, aid distribution for habal-habal drivers and other public utility vehicles would be rolled out within two to three weeks.

The City Council approved SB1 for 2026 on April 28, amounting to more than ?800 million, including the ?35-million subsidy for drivers.

Archival clarified that assistance would not be given in cash but in the form of fuel allocations through fleet cards, a measure suggested by the council to ensure subsidies directly support daily operations. He said this would follow the same system earlier implemented for barangays.

The mayor also disclosed that around 3,500 habal-habal drivers had been accounted for in recent tallies, though Alcover disputed the figure, insisting that the official registry is more comprehensive.

Alcover said he has no objection to fuel-based aid, provided only legitimate drivers benefit.

“Okay ra ko ana… walay problema na… basta ang makadawat ang original and real gyud na habal-habal,” he said.

He added that they would block questionable entries during distribution, underscoring that the ordinance remains the city’s safeguard against ghost beneficiaries. (CEBU NEWS)