MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday continued the second day of its special payout of PHP5,000 cash relief assistance (CRA) to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers across different payouts sites in Metro Manila as part of its ongoing efforts to accommodate unlisted and additional beneficiaries.
DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the special payout is in accordance with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to give a hand to vulnerable sectors, particularly the PUV drivers and help them address various problems brought by the continuous oil price hikes.
Simultaneous payout activities for the cash relief assistance for PUV drivers are being conducted in various sites in collaboration with the concerned local government units (LGUs).
According to the DSWD, a total of 20,960 tricycle drivers received their cash aid during the first day of the special payout on April 14, with 18,952 from the supplementary list and 2,008 from the previously unclaimed list.
The report also showed that 2,550 public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers have already received their cash assistance on Wednesday as some LGUs opted to schedule their payouts with the tricycle drivers to expedite the distribution.
Out of the total number, 404 were from the unclaimed list while 2,146 were previously unlisted PUJ drivers.
Dumlao reiterated that the DSWD aims to complete the distribution of assistance to all eligible drivers nationwide by April 30.
For PUJ drivers who were unable to receive their cash aid during the designated special payout dates in Metro Manila, an additional payout schedule is set on April 17, as announced by the DSWD through its official social media pages. (PNA)