Free fuel coupons for city drivers; deadline is March 23

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Qualified jeepney and tricycle drivers and operators are urged to submit their requirements to avail of the Iloilo City government’s fuel subsidy program before the March 23 deadline to ensure the immediate processing and release of fuel subsidy coupons.

Uldarico Garbanzos, head of the Transportation and Traffic Management Office, said applicants must submit their requirements to the TTMO Operations Section at Fort San Pedro in the City Proper district.

Under the program, jeepney drivers and operators will receive PHP 1,500 worth of petroleum products monthly through their respective cooperatives, while tricycle drivers and operators will be given a PHP 500 subsidy.

To qualify, drivers and operators must be operating routes within Iloilo City and must be legitimate residents of the city.

Applicants will be required to present a voter’s certificate as proof of residency.

Drivers must also have a valid driver’s license, while operators must hold a valid Certificate of Public Convenience or franchise.

Public utility jeepneys, both modernized and traditional, must be listed in the validated master list of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Tricycle operators must have a franchise from the Sangguniang Panlungsod and a Motorized Tricycle Operator’s Permit issued by the Business Permit and Licensing Office.

Garbanzos said all submitted documents will undergo verification, and only those with complete requirements will be eligible to receive the subsidy.

The fuel subsidy coupons will remain valid until Dec. 31, 2026, subject to the availability of funds.

The fuel subsidy program was launched by Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu to cushion the impact of rising petroleum prices on the city’s public transport sector amid global supply disruptions triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East.

On Sunday, the LTFRB confirmed that it has approved fare hikes for jeepneys and buses but has yet to announce the specific amounts or the date of implementation.

The fare adjustments are meant to address petitions from transport operators grappling with rising fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.

The exact rates are still subject to review by the Department of Transportation.

Earlier, the Western Visayas Transport Cooperative, which plies major routes in Iloilo City, told the Daily Guardian that it has proposed to the LTFRB to raise the minimum fare for modernized jeepneys by PHP 3, from the current PHP 15 for the first four kilometers.

For traditional jeepneys, the cooperative is seeking a PHP 2 increase from the PHP 13 minimum fare.

Amid rising fuel costs, the city government also reconstituted its Local Price Coordinating Council to strengthen monitoring of prices of basic commodities and petroleum products.

The LPCC will oversee the monitoring of prices of basic goods and petroleum products in the city’s markets and establishments.

It will also recommend measures to ensure sufficient supply of basic necessities and prevent market abuses such as hoarding, profiteering, and illegal price manipulation.