Approximately 2,000 drivers received fuel subsidies Friday as the government began distributing financial relief to the transport sector, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced.

Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez led the distribution of the P5,000 subsidies on 24 April, joined by Senior Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor and LTFRB chairperson Vigor D. Mendoza II.

In an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE, Mendoza confirmed that the agency implemented an afternoon cutoff to ensure all drivers already in line were processed efficiently.

“We implemented a cutoff so we can process all efficiently,” Mendoza said, adding that the distribution will resume Saturday.

While many public utility vehicle drivers arrived early in the morning and waited until the afternoon to receive their payments, Mendoza characterized the overall process as smooth.

The LTFRB stated it intends to refine the distribution system on Saturday to provide a faster and more efficient release of the remaining funds.