Hundreds of tricycle drivers gathered before dawn Friday for the final day of a government cash relief distribution aimed at offsetting soaring fuel prices.

By 5 a.m., a queue stretched across the street outside the Galino Court in Barangay 102 as drivers waited to claim a 5,000-peso subsidy from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

For many, the one-time payment offers only a brief reprieve from daily operational costs.

“For me, I have to pay my rent due date today,” said driver Antonio Billones in an online interview. “As soon as I get this, it will be gone immediately for electricity, water and housing.”

Billones said that while he is grateful for the intervention, he expects to return to his usual struggle once the funds are spent. “It’s okay for now, but it’s only temporary. Then it’s back to normal, to the daily grind, because there’s nothing else we can do,” he said.

The target for the final day of the South Caloocan payout was 556 beneficiaries, according to team leader Ana Lisa Name. However, strict agency protocols prevented some drivers from collecting the grant.

Name said a “no authorization” rule requires the registered driver to appear in person, barring family members or representatives from claiming the funds. Several other drivers were turned away for presenting expired licenses.

“If you are a driver, your license must be in order,” Name said. “You cannot be on the road if it is expired.”

As the payout window closes, the City Social Welfare office is shifting its focus to accounting for those who missed the deadline. Name said the office will report unclaimed subsidies and the reasons behind them to the national agency for further evaluation.

Drivers whose names were missing from the primary lists were referred back to their local tricycle operators and drivers’ associations, which are responsible for submitting the initial rosters of active members.