President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate distribution of a P5,000 fuel subsidy to public utility drivers affected by rising fuel prices triggered by ongoing tensions and conflict in the Middle East, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said Wednesday.

To fast-track the rollout, Recto convened Metro Manila mayors on Wednesday to coordinate the swift and orderly distribution of the financial aid.

Recto emphasized the key role of local officials in identifying beneficiaries, particularly jeepney and tricycle drivers in their respective cities.

“As mayors, you are the ones who best understand the real situation and the number of tricycle and jeepney drivers in your cities. That is why our cooperation is important. With good coordination and collective action, we can deliver assistance more quickly to every driver who needs it,” Recto said in Filipino.

The distribution of the subsidy in Metro Manila, to be led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Transportation, is set to begin next week.

Recto also announced that the program will then be immediately expanded to other regions nationwide.

He noted that subsidy forms part of the President’s directive to provide immediate relief and protect the livelihoods of sectors directly affected by the oil crisis, particularly transport workers whose incomes are heavily tied to daily fuel costs.

“National government agencies will work with local government units (LGUs) to ensure that the assistance is distributed quickly, efficiently, and directly to drivers who need it most,” Recto noted.