A LAWMAKER on Thursday urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to examine if the Pantawid Pasada program is enough to help Filipino drivers amid increasing prices of the basic commodities and services due to Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.
Rep. Sherwin N. Tugna of Cibac party-list, a member of the House Committee on Ways Means, said jeepney drivers serve as a vital component in the transportation sector, and the government should extend all the necessary aid to augment their income.
“I urge the leadership of the DOTr to examine if the P5,000 subsidy is enough to sustain our drivers for six months amid the rising prices of commodities brought about by the TRAIN law,” he said.
“Likewise, we in the House of Representatives will do our part and look for viable options to help alleviate the problems of our ailing transport sector,” Tugna added.
Section 82 of the TRAIN law clearly states that a social welfare benefit program will be implemented where qualified franchise holders of public-utility jeepneys are entitled to fuel vouchers. The fuel subsidy program, once effectively rolled out, will help driv-ers cope with the soaring prices of diesel fuel.
“Given the consistently high fuel prices all over the country, I commend the Department of Finance, Department of Transpor-tation and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for coming together for the implementation of the Panta-wid Pasada Program,” the lawmaker added.
Earlier, House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Dakila Carlo Cua of Quirino said the DOTr is also set to roll out the Pantawid Pasada Program that will provide public-utility jeepney franchise holders with discounts in their purchase of fuel next month.
Pantawid Pasada is one of the mitigating measures under the new tax-reform law to ease the impact of the oil excise tax increases on commuters and the land transport sector.
Besides the Pantawid Pasada, the TRAIN also provides for additional unconditional-cash transfers to low-income earners amounting to P 2,400 for 2018 and P 3,600 for 2019 and 2020.
Image credits: Alysa Salen