Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday (March 31) held a consultation meeting with motorcycle (MC) taxi representatives to discuss ways on how to improve the special payout for riders who were not able to claim their cash relief assistance (CRA) and whose names were not included in the masterlist of recipients.
During the meeting Romeo Maglunsod, chairman of the Motorcycle Taxi Community Alliance (MTCA), exchanged insights with the DSWD chief on the need to consider removing the categorization between MC taxi riders and service delivery riders to address the confusion in payout schedules.
After the Holy Week, the DSWD is set to resume its special payouts for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers, transport network vehicle service (TNVS) drivers, and service delivery and MC riders to ensure that all qualified drivers and riders will receive the Php5,000 cash aid provided by the Marcos Administration.
Also present in the meeting was Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG). (AKDL)
MC taxi riders to have smoother special payout – DSWD chief
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has assured motorcycle (MC) taxi riders that they will have a smoother special payout for their cash relief assistance (CRA), following the misclassification and confusion in payout schedules with service delivery riders.
“Yung mga miyembro nyo na hindi nakatanggap, basta nandun na sa unclaimed na kung tawagin, mayroon na tayong special payout na ilulunsad para sa mga unclaimed. So ibig sabihin, nandun yung pangalan mo pero hindi mo nakuha kasi na-classify ka na delivery service at yung nawawala sa listahan,” Secretary Gatchalian assured MC taxi drivers representatives during a consultation meeting on Tuesday (March 31) at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
During the meeting, the DSWD chief listened to the recommendations of the Motorcycle Taxi Community Alliance (MTCA), led by their chairman Romeo Maglunsod, on how to make the special payout for their sector more efficient.
Among the agreements in the meeting was the removal of the classification between MC taxi riders and service delivery riders, as well as the designation of four payout centers in Metro Manila where both groups of riders can go to claim their cash relief assistance.
“I-aannounce namin na sabay na kayo ng service delivery. So lahat ng unclaimed, lahat ng dagdag sa listahan, MC taxi ka man o service delivery, dun na kayo lahat,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
The DSWD chief also explained to the riders that the provision of the CRA is not the only initiative of the Marcos Administration to cushion the effects of high prices of fuel products due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East region.
“Yung financial assistance, bahagi iyan ng malawakang responde ng gobyerno. Hindi ibig sabihin na ito lang ang ginagawa natin. Bawat ahensya may mandato kami. Kami ang pangalan ng Departamento, social welfare. Ang social welfare is financial assistance sa oras ng krisis,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
As of March 30, a total of 256,040 public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers received their Php5,000 CRA to help them cope with the surge in fuel prices.
After the Holy Week, the DSWD is set to hold the special payout for PUJ, transport network vehicle service (TNVS) drivers, and service delivery and MC riders as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to aid all members of the transport sector.
“Kami ang importante (sa amin), sa utos ng Presidente, makarating yung tulong pinansyal sa mga kamay ng mga driver, rider, at iba pang mga nangangailangan,” Secretary Gatchalian said. (AKDL)
