Qualified public transport drivers and operators, numbering some 1.36 million, must properly allocate their fuel subsidies to help them cope with the rising prices at the pump.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III said Tuesday that qualified public vehicle owners and operators cannot use their subsidies for purposes other than for fuel at selected gas stations.

Under a joint memorandum circular, the fuel subsidy covers public utility vehicles, including jeepney, UV Express and minibus; as well as bus drivers, shuttle service drivers, taxi drivers, tourist transport service drivers, school transport service drivers,
ride-hailing service drivers, delivery service and tricycle drivers.

But first, the LTFRB must secure an exemption from the Commission on Elections to distribute the subsidies.

This is because, under Comelec Resolution 10944, the releasing, disbursing, or spending of public funds for social welfare projects is prohibited from 15 September to 30 October ahead of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections next month.

The Land Bank of the Philippines assured the recipients of the fast and timely crediting of their fuel subsidies and the distribution of cash cards to beneficiaries nationwide once the election spending ban is lifted.

Some 280,000 public utility operators will receive a one-time cash grant from the LandBank. At the same time, 930,000 tricycle drivers and 150,000 delivery service riders will get theirs from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and Department of Information and Communications Technology, respectively.

Still rising

The LTFRB will distribute P10,000 each to modern PUJ and modern UV Express operators, while the operators of other modes of transport will receive P6,500 each.

Tricycle and delivery riders, on the other hand, will receive P1,000 and P1,200, respectively.

The fuel prices at the local pumps are still on an upward trend, meaning that motorists still have to tighten their belts to cope with the price increases.

Last Tuesday morning, diesel prices increased by P2.50 per liter. Kerosene and gasoline prices, on the other hand, both went up by P2 per liter.

The new round of price adjustments is the 11th increase for diesel and kerosene and the 10th for gasoline.

Relatedly, the price movement translated to a cumulative increase of P13.60 per liter for diesel, P17.50 for gasoline, and P9.95 per liter for kerosene.

In a recent interview with reporters, Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla assured that the Department of Energy is constantly communicating with other government agencies to help consumers cope with the rising prices but noted that nothing is definite yet as to what course of action they would take.