What subsidy? Public utility drivers still demand for an oil price rollback

There are 214,596 registered public utility jeepneys in the country, but when the Aquino Government’s Pantawid Pasada program was finally begun first week of May, only 3,000 fuel cards loaded with P1,050 ($34.95) each had been prepared for distribution by the government.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com

MANILA –Do the math. There are 214,596 registered public utility jeepneys in the country, but when the Aquino Government’s Pantawid Pasada program was finally begun first week of May, only 3,000 fuel cards loaded with P1,050 ($34.95) each had been prepared for distribution by the government, and it has also prepared only one distribution center which is at Camp Crame in Quezon City. How could the rest of the country’s jeepney drivers be able to avail of that so-called Pantawid Pasada? asked George San Mateo, secretary-general of Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Drivers at Operators Nationwide (PISTON).

San Mateo also pointed out as “highly irregular” the government’s decision to directly involve in the distribution of said fuel cards some transport organizations and federations. The distribution of the so-called subsidy should have been a straightforward transaction between individual franchise holders and the government, San Mateo explained. But the Department of Energy (DoE) decided in a meeting that the list of franchisees availing of the subsidy would have to be brought to the distribution centers by its associations.

(Photo by Marya Salamat / bulatlat.com)

Other drivers’ associations have reportedly complied with the DOE stipulations, but Piston did not. Aside from seeing the process as “highly irregular,” Piston still has not yet forgotten the government’s oft-repeated threats against the franchise of its allies and members every time they would conduct a transport protest action. Why is the DOE requiring that, asked Piston, when the Land Transportations Franchising and Regulatory Board already has a master list of the jeepney franchise holders?

Pantawid Pasada as “trickery”

Last month Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Teddy Casiño had described Pantawid Pasada as “nothing but a drop in the fuel tanks of our country’s public transport drivers,” because the amount cannot even buy a full tank of diesel. He added that the initial P450 million ( $10.48 million) allotted for the fuel subsidy program that “will last for two months will not make a dent in the incomes of our jeepney and tricycle drivers and operators since the 11 oil price hikes so far this year have negated whatever subsidizing effect government purports this program will have.”.... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/05/06/what-subsidy-public-utility-drivers-still-demand-for-an-oil-price-rollback/