By Benilda Recebido
SORSOGON CITY, Sorsogon, Philippines (PIA) — A total of 4,439 tricycle drivers from Sorsogon City have benefited from cash assistance provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) from April 8 to 9 at the Provincial Gymnasium.
The DSWD allocated around P22.19 million in financial aid under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program, with each beneficiary receiving P5,000.
The tricycle drivers in Sorsogon City represent the largest group of registered drivers in Sorsogon province. On the first day of distribution, 2,029 drivers were accommodated, and 2,410 were served on the second day.
According to Joseph Teston, chief of the DSWD regional office’s policy and plans division, the recipients are members of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Associations (TODAs), as verified and endorsed by local government units to the DSWD.
“The assistance aims to alleviate the daily expenses of drivers and support their livelihoods amid rising fuel prices caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” Teston said.
He added that the payout is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to support transport workers in the Bicol region.
The AICS program is a government initiative designed to provide immediate and temporary assistance to individuals and families affected by crises.
Among the recipients was John Darill Aniban, a father and tricycle driver from Barangay Macabog, who lamented that the recent increase in oil prices has significantly reduced his daily earnings.
“The higher fuel costs leave me with much less income after a long day of work. Almost everything goes toward buying fuel, and what I bring home to my family is no longer enough, unlike before,” Aniban explained.
He thanked the DSWD and local government for efficiently distributing financial assistance to the transport sector, saying, “This will help me buy gasoline and food for my family.”
The DSWD regional office plans to conduct similar payout activities in other municipalities of Sorsogon province in the coming days, targeting more transport workers affected by soaring fuel prices.
“This initiative does not end here; our efforts for the entire transportation sector will continue. In the coming days or weeks, we will begin distributing assistance to other drivers as well,” Teston said. (Monica M. Avila contributed to this report, PIA Bicol/Sorsogon)
