Thousands of tricycle drivers in Metro Manila who were unable to claim their fuel assistance this week are set to get another chance, as the Department of Social Welfare and Development prepares a special payout next week to reach those left out of the initial distribution. The move signals a wider government push to keep transport workers afloat as fuel prices continue to climb and operating costs squeeze already thin daily earnings.
The DSWD said more than 120,000 tricycle drivers in the National Capital Region made it to its validated clean list for the P5,000 cash aid, with over 90,000 already served in the past three days. But officials acknowledged that not every beneficiary was able to appear during the scheduled payout dates, prompting the agency to open the door for a special payout round that will be announced through local government units.
Rather than treating the missed claims as a closed chapter, the agency is now repositioning the aid drive as a continuing rescue effort for transport workers hit hard by the spike in petroleum costs. For many tricycle drivers, missing a payout schedule did not mean losing eligibility altogether, as the DSWD said it is still tracing some beneficiaries and working on ways to accommodate those who were not served in recent days.
The fresh payout window comes at a critical time. Projected fuel price increases next week could again jolt public utility and informal transport operators, with diesel seen rising by P14 to P14.50 per liter and gasoline by P7 to P7.50 per liter. Those increases threaten to drive diesel prices to as much as P130 per liter and push gasoline past the P100 mark, deepening pressure on drivers whose income depends on every trip.
Officials said the aid distribution remains tightly monitored, with beneficiaries required to personally appear and present a valid driver’s license and a photocopy to claim the cash assistance. The rule, aimed at protecting the integrity of the payout, has also drawn attention after some drivers failed to claim aid because of illness, scheduling conflicts, or incomplete requirements. In response, the DSWD said it is now studying whether physical appearance rules may be relaxed on a case-to-case basis under certain circumstances.
One case that underscored the human cost behind the bureaucracy involved a tricycle driver who had been hospitalized during the payout period and later died. The DSWD said the family was immediately assisted through its Crisis Intervention Unit and was given medical and additional support, while the agency reviews how similar cases can be handled with greater flexibility moving forward.
The government’s emergency response is also widening beyond tricycle drivers. Beginning next week, the DSWD is set to distribute the same P5,000 assistance to other affected transport workers in NCR, including TNVS drivers on March 24, jeepney drivers on March 25, delivery riders on March 26 and 27, and motorcycle taxi riders on March 28. Payout venues are expected to be announced on Monday, while assistance for drivers outside Metro Manila is scheduled to begin after Holy Week.
In all, the NCR rollout is targeting around 34,000 TNVS drivers, more than 20,000 jeepney drivers, over 67,000 delivery service riders, and more than 34,000 motorcycle taxi riders. The cash grants are being released under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program, with joint help desks from transport regulators and partner groups deployed at venues to speed up validation and support.
With oil prices surging amid conflict in the Middle East and transport groups growing anxious over the next wave of pump hikes, the special payout for missed tricycle beneficiaries sends a clear message: the government is now under pressure not just to release aid quickly, but to make sure no vulnerable driver is left behind in the rush.
