TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development(DSWD) in Eastern Visayas has started releasing P5,000 cash assistance to thousands of tricycle drivers in key cities, with payouts for municipal beneficiaries set to follow next week.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 8 (DSWD-8) launched the distribution of its Cash Relief Assistance (CRA) on April 8, targeting 9,569 registered tricycle drivers across seven cities in the region.
Among the beneficiaries are drivers from Maasin City (871), Catbalogan City (1,553), Ormoc City (1,936), Tacloban City (1,769), Borongan City (1,049), Calbayog City (1,305), and Baybay City.
The P5,000 aid aims to help transport workers cope with the continued rise in fuel prices, which has significantly affected their daily income.
DSWD-8 Regional Director Grace Subong said the agency is now working closely with local government units to finalize the list of qualified beneficiaries in municipalities.
“We are coordinating with LGUs to ensure that only eligible recipients are included in the distribution,” Subong said, noting the importance of validating beneficiary data.
She added that payouts for municipal drivers are targeted to begin next week, with April 16 eyed as the initial rollout date.
“Eastern Visayas has 136 municipalities, so we are carefully preparing for the distribution to ensure smooth implementation,” she said.
(RICARDO TODIO, JR, LNU STUDENT INTERN)
