President Marcos: PH to roll out a nationwide transport assistance beginning April 15

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Thursday that the government will roll out a nationwide transport assistance package beginning April 15.

This initiative is aimed at easing the impact of rising fuel prices through subsidized fares and fuel discounts.

The package includes the implementation of the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) Service Contracting Program, which will provide payments to drivers and operators.

Additionally, it features a 20 percent fare discount for commuters and fuel subsidies for public utility vehicles (PUVs).

“Kaya naman simula April 15, ipapatupad ng DOTr ang Service Contracting Program. Sa ilalim ng programang ito, babayaran namin ang ating mga operator at driver ng mula PhP40 hanggang Php100 kada kilometro. Dagdag ito sa kanilang kita mula sa pamasahe,” the President said following a meeting of the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Committee.

Marcos noted that the UPLIFT Committee recently convened to review developments in the Middle East and evaluate government measures to mitigate their impact on the country, specifically regarding the continued increase in fuel prices.

Commuters will benefit from a fare discount of at least 20 percent.

New routes have also been designed to connect with train lines and major bus corridors to improve overall travel efficiency and reliability.

“Ipapatupad ito sa buong bansa. Sasaklaw sa humigit-kumulang 50,000 na PUV, 1,000 operator at aabot sa 15 milyong pasahero,” he said.

The Service Contracting Program will operate during off-peak hours to ensure transport availability beyond rush periods. GPS monitoring will be implemented to verify trips and maintain service quality.

“Ang Service Contracting Program ay ipapatupad sa off-peak hours upang masigurong may masasakyan pa rin ang ating mga kababayan kahit hindi sa rush hour. Lahat ng sasali ay may GPS monitoring para naman matiyak na actual ang biyahe at maayos ang serbisyo. Patuloy ang biyahe, patuloy ang hanapbuhay,” the President said.

Marcos also said the government will implement a fuel subsidy of P10 per liter for PUVs, capped at 150 liters per week over a three-month period.

“Hindi pa tayo titigil doon. Magpapatupad tayo ng PhP10 kada litro na bawas para sa public utility vehicle na may maximum na 150 liters kada linggo sa loob ng tatlong buwan,” he said.

The rollout will begin in the National Capital Region next week, initially covering Commonwealth Avenue before expanding to other major corridors including Quezon Avenue, España, Zapote, A. Bonifacio, Rizal Avenue, and Marcos Highway, with plans for nationwide implementation.

Officials said the measures are intended not only to reduce transportation costs but also to help temper increases in food prices and other basic goods.

“Ang fuel subsidy ay ipapatupad lamang sa mga lehitimong gasoline station na aprubado at mino-monitor ng Department of Energy upang masigurong mapupunta ito sa tama at hindi ito maabuso,” the President said.

President Marcos has emphasized that the government continues to implement interventions aimed at maintaining stability in the daily lives of Filipinos.

All decisions remain guided by the goal of protecting the public amid ongoing challenges, he said.

-Paraluman News