At least 18 more displaced transport workers in Central Luzon have started receiving livelihood assistance that could engage in other sources of income.

The assistance is under the government’s “EnTSUPERneur” program of the Department of Transportation and the Department of Labor and Employment.

It aims to provide alternative sources of income to public transport drivers and operators affected by the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program and the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Nasrudin Talipasan, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) regional head, said on Monday the distribution of the livelihood packages to another batch of program beneficiaries started from Nov. 17 until Dec. 9 this year.

Talipasan said the livelihood packages given to the beneficiaries include rice retailing, sari-sari stores, egg retailing, fried chicken stand and grocery products.

“The program is part of the government’s continuing efforts to provide the displaced transport stakeholders an alternative source of income outside the public transportation industry,” he said in a social media post.

Of the total 18 program beneficiaries, Talipasan said Aristotle Biliwang and Narciso Santos, who both received sari-sari store packages and David Estrella with a rice retailing package, got their livelihood aid last Nov. 17.

He said the LTFRB is still open to accepting applicants for the program.

“Sa mga jeepney drivers and operators na nais lumahok sa program, patuloy pa din ang LTFRB Region 3 sa pagtanggap ng aplikasyon para sa naturang programa (To the jeepney drivers and operators who want to join the program, the LTFRB Region 3 is continuously accepting application for the said program),” he said.

Last month, a total of 33 beneficiaries received livelihood packages. (PNA)