Last week, the COA questioned in its 2020 report the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) when it found that only one percent of the P5.58 billion funds allocated for drivers had been distributed.
“Delays in the implementation of the service contracting program ranging from two to 10 weeks as of December 31, 2020, resulted in the minimal fund utilization of only P59,720,089 or 1.07 percent of the total project fund,” said COA.
According to the Piston group, the LTFRB should be held accountable for this.
“Dapat panagutin ang LTFRB sa malaking responsibilidad nito sa pagpapabaya at sa kagyat na pagpapaabot ng ayuda sa mga driver at maliliit na operator,” the group said.
Piston also suspects that the LTFRB may have deliberately failed to provide assistance to drivers to promote the modernization of jeeps, which it has been promoting for a long time.
“Hindi kataka-taka kung sinadya ng LTFRB ang ganitong pagkakait ng ayuda, dahil sa programa nitong i-phaseout ang mga jeepney… Ginamit nga ng gobyerno ang pandemya para i-phaseout ang mga jeepney at UV Express. Kung hindi pa nag-ingay at lumaban ang mga driver at mamamayan, hindi makakabalik-pasada ang kahit kalahati man lamang ng mga jeepney sa panahon ng pandemya,” it said.
COA: LTFRB did not use money for drivers’ cash aid
In August 2020, members of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON) have not received single cash aid from the government for five months of lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Mody Floranda, national president of Piston, they continue to coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to include them in the beneficiaries of the government’s social amelioration program for sectors affected by the pandemic.
He said most of their members are already on the road and begging for help from the people because, until now, they have not even received any cash aid or any assistance from the government.
Floranda said they had previously submitted the corresponding document to the DSWD through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. However, they had only received promises and still had no assistance.
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