MISAMIS ORIENTAL — The Pon Roa Canitoan Transport Cooperative (PONTRANSCO) has temporarily suspended its operations starting Monday, citing surging fuel prices as the main reason for the stoppage.

The announcement, posted through social media and relayed over local radio, said services will remain halted “until further notice,” effectively grounding its fleet and affecting daily commuters along its routes.

This move comes despite repeated government assurances that eligible publicutilityvehicle (PUV) drivers will receive a P5,000 fuelassistance grant from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the national emergency support package for the transport sector.

For many small cooperatives like PONTRANSCO, however, the delay in the release of the cash subsidy has deepened financial strain, forcing them to choose between continuing at a loss or suspending operations.

In response, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board–Region 10 (LTFRB10) is fasttracking the distribution of fuel subsidies to PUV drivers across Northern Mindanao. Regional Director Alexes Joseph Bendijo said the disbursement of the aid is now a top priority, especially since the region’s provisional fare increase remains suspended, leaving operators without the usual buffer against higher fuel costs.

During the Kapihan sa PIA forum, Bendijo stressed that the subsidy is part of the national government’s emergency support measures. He quoted President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urging agencies to speed up the release:

The program covers PUV drivers and other qualified sectors holding valid LTFRB issued franchises. Disbursement will be done in batches by province and city, with the LTFRB10 now validating the list of beneficiaries to ensure that only those who truly qualify receive the assistance.

The temporary suspension by PONTRANSCO underscores the urgency of the fuelsubsidy rollout. If aid does not reach operators on time, more cooperatives may be forced to follow a similar course, tightening the squeeze on commuters and the broader transport network in Misamis Oriental and the rest of Northern Mindanao.