More than 1.8K Butuan tricycle drivers receive DSWD’s cash aid
By Mariesh F. Celedeña
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — More than 1,800 tricycle drivers in Butuan City received the one-time P5,000 cash relief assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination with the city government, on April 8.
Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the cash relief assistance, saying it will help them cope with daily expenses amid rising fuel prices.
“Thank you very much for the P5,000 cash relief assistance that we received today. This will be used for our needs and livelihood in the coming days,” said Teodoro Balbuena, a tricycle driver from Villa Kananga, this city.
Balbuena added that it will help secure their family’s necessities, saying, “Our food, especially rice, is now assured. Thank you very much to the government.”
Butuan City served as one of the six payout sites in the region for the cash relief assistance under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), with distribution conducted in Barangay Doongan.
The initiative aims to ease the financial burden of tricycle drivers, whose incomes have been significantly reduced by soaring fuel prices.
To ensure a smooth and efficient payout, the DSWD Caraga and the city government of Butuan simplified the requirements. Beneficiaries were only required to present their driver’s enrollment program (DEP) ID and their current driver’s license for verification.
Local officials assured that the process was organized and transparent, ensuring that assistance reached the intended recipients.
The city government of Butuan also vowed to continue working closely with the DSWD Caraga to expand the program’s reach and provide further support to more drivers affected by economic challenges. (MFC, PIA Caraga)
