Taguig City government on Thursday started the distribution of the PHP4,000 cash assistance to the tricycle, jeepney, and pedicab drivers affected by the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
During the initial distribution at the Taguig City University, almost 700 members of the city’s tricycle operators and drivers association (TODA), jeepney operators and drivers association (JODA) and pedicab operators and drivers association (PODA) received PHP4,000 assistance each.
The distribution was done in batches with strict observance of proper social distancing to ensure the safety of the drivers. The rest of the beneficiaries should receive their cash assistance during distributions scheduled for the coming days.
More than 15,000 members of TODA, JODA, and PODA will receive the financial aid from the local government. Another PHP4,000 will be given to them next month.
The financial assistance is expected to cover each family’s additional necessities amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and is apart from the food packs distributed by the local government to families.
“Laking pasalamat namin tulong na ito mula sa Taguig City government. Malaking bagay dahil hindi lang isang buwan kundi dalawang buwan matutulungan kami at ang aming mga pamilya (This is a big help from Taguig City government. A big help because for two months our families will get assistance),” said Arvin Penolio, president of UBTODAI.
Penolio said he understands why they were not being allowed to ply the streets at the moment, noting the dangers amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Ito ay para maging ligtas kami at ang pamilya namin sa sakit (This is for our safety from the disease),” he said.
The financial aid to the transport sector is just one of the initiatives of the Taguig City government to help its residents during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine. It has also distributed stay-at-home family food packs and anti-Covid-19 kits to the community.
The local government of Taguig has distributed stay-at-home family food packs to 104,612 families as of April 1. (PNA)
