TACLOBAN CITY — Nearly 1,800 tricycle drivers in Tacloban City received P5,000 each in government aid on Wednesday, April 8, offering temporary relief as soaring fuel prices continue to cut into their daily earnings.
The cash assistance, distributed at the Tacloban City Astrodome Convention Center, benefited 1,796 drivers and forms part of a wider P49-million subsidy released to 9,569 registered tricycle drivers across seven cities in Eastern Visayas, including Ormoc, Baybay, Borongan, Catbalogan, Calbayog, and Maasin.
The program, implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), is part of the national government’s fuel subsidy initiative aimed at cushioning the impact of rising oil prices on the transport sector.
DSWD Regional Director Grace Subong said beneficiaries were identified through validated lists submitted by local government units, prioritizing drivers who depend on fuel for their livelihood.
For many drivers, the assistance comes at a critical time.
Tricycle driver Castro Faller, 72, said the subsidy provides much-needed relief as his income has significantly declined due to high fuel costs.
A driver for more than two decades, Faller shared that he was forced to temporarily stop operating because earnings could no longer cover daily expenses.
He noted that his fuel expenses have surged from about P100 to P150 per day before the crisis to as much as P500 to P600 at present.
While grateful, Faller said the one-time assistance may not be enough if fuel prices continue to rise, echoing the concerns of other drivers who are calling for sustained government support.
(ALEXA A. PATAWARAN, LNU STUDENT INTERN)
