By CESAR JOLITO III

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has appealed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to include 10,551 drivers from the city in the national fuel subsidy program, citing the growing financial strain caused by rising fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.

In a formal submission yesterday, the city government forwarded a verified list of beneficiaries to the DSWD for immediate processing, aiming to provide relief to transport workers affected by increasing operating costs.

Gasataya said the list covers a wide range of drivers, including those operating public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and other public utility vehicles with active franchises.

It also includes transport network vehicle service (TNVS) drivers affiliated with ride-hailing platforms, as well as drivers from logistics firms.

The list was validated through coordination with transport groups and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in the Negros Island Region, ensuring that qualified drivers are included.

Gasataya also urged the DSWD to extend assistance to traditional and modernized PUJ drivers who do not have active franchises, proposing that they be covered under the government’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations Program.

“This already includes drivers who joined street protests. What is important is they have been validated and are qualified,” Gasataya said, adding that the city is awaiting final guidance from the DSWD on the distribution of subsidies.

The DSWD is expected to determine the number of beneficiaries and the schedule of payouts once the request is processed.

City officials said the move aims to bridge local transport workers with national assistance programs, helping ease financial pressures and sustain public transportation services in Bacolod amid continued fuel price volatility./CJ, WDJ