Transport department eyes aid continuity

To recall, several House members have rallied to fund DoTr’s free ride program after no funds were allocated in the 2023 proposed national budget

The Department of Transportation is keen on continuing its aid to Filipinos until next year by providing free rides and fuel subsidies as the House of Representatives is set to pump up its budget.

The House earmarked P5.5 billion for the Pantawid Pasada Fuel Program amounting to P2.5 billion and Libreng Sakay P2 billion as part of its P77-billion institutional amendments for pro-people programs in the Marcos administration’s P5.268 trillion national budget for the fiscal year 2023.

It also allotted P1 billion for bike lanes construction.

To recall, several House members have rallied to fund DoTr’s free ride program after no funds were allocated in the 2023 proposed national budget.

Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor earlier disclosed that the DoTr had requested P12 billion for 2023 but was not included under the 2023 National Expenditures Program submitted by the Department of Budget and Management to the House.

“This Pantawid Pasada at Libreng Sakay is a direct relief to our countrymen. This aids drivers and operators as the price of petroleum products rise. The free ride, meanwhile, is a big help to our commuters who find it difficult to make ends meet,” said House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Tuesday.

While the rising oil prices continue to wreak havoc in the public transportation sector, the Leyte solon said the fuel subsidy program remains one of the government services drivers and operators look forward to when in need.

Appropriations committee chair Elizaldy Co echoed the Speaker’s statement, saying that the House allotted the program’s budget since it is a big help to the commuters.

The DoTr and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s service contracting or free ride program began in 2020 as mandated by the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act to alleviate the burden of Filipinos in the face of rising fuel and essential commodity prices, as well as the still-raging Covid-19 pandemic.

The program was extended in 2021 and 2022.