TARLAC TRICYCLE DRIVERS RECEIVE LIVELIHOOD AID

Drivers belonging to the Buno-Matatalaib-Trinidad-Culipat Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (BMTC-TODA) here received micro-financial assistance on Thursday under the “Presyo Trabaho Kabuhayan” advocacy. House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano led the turnover of the P100,000aid to the organization. The BMTC-TODA with 140 members is the 223rd beneficiary organization in the country and sixth in Tarlac province. “We initiated this program to protect Filipino cooperatives and entrepreneurs from falling into the trap of usurious loan sharks,” Cayetano said. “We’re happy to support TODAs because on top of their needs as organizations, most of our PUV (public utility vehicle) drivers do not have the financial capabilities to purchase their own unit, forcing them to rent on their own, cutting down their take-home pay,” he added. Cayetano said by giving them a one-time financial assistance and supporting their development initiatives, the beneficiaries were being “taught to fish, instead of giving them fish” thereby alleviating the lack of jobs and livelihood in the country. Cayetano cited a tricycle drivers’ group — the San Vicente- St. Dominic, San Jose de Urquico, Apalang TODA—for “remaining creative in sustaining the program” since it received the P100,000 assistance in 2015 and in 2018. The group started the idea of revolving the grant by buying motorcycle parts and reselling them. As of March 2018, the association has reportedly earned almost P60,000. The other four beneficiaries in Tarlac are Angeles Jeepney Group, Capas Jeepney Group, Tinang’s Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative, and ConFeTODA. Second District Rep. Victor Yap urged the beneficiaries to make full use of the grant for their prosperity and avoid getting into transactions with loan sharks.