Energy Chief Alfonso Cusi signed the general guidelines for the implementation of the Pantawid Pasada Program yesterday, providing qualified franchise holders of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) with fuel vouchers .
Cusi said the Department of Energy (DOE) will continue to proactively implement mitigating measures to cushion the impact of volatile oil prices to consumers.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Land Bank of the Philippines, and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) are also implementing the Pantawid Pasada as signatories of the joint memorandum circular.
Under the Memorandum, the DOE is responsible for coordinating with oil companies to ensure their acceptance of Pantawid Pasada Cards as mode of payment.
The Landbank will issue the debit card for the fuel subsidy starting July 12, starting with 10,000 units to be distributed with the next three days.
Around 180,000 jeepney drivers are eligible to receive up to P 5,000 worth of fuel subsidy per PUJ unit.
“We called on our partners in the oil industry to grant fuel discounts to public utility vehicles, in addition to their CSR programs. This resulted in our MOAs with Petron, Shell and Phoenix Petroleum,” Cusi said.
DOE and Landbank will be responsible for identifying areas with limited or no access to retail Point of Sale systems, where vouchers instead of cards will be honored.
The DOE will also be ready to extend any assistance that may be needed by its partner agencies to successfully implement the fuel subsidy program, he added.
DOE has been proactively implementing mitigating measures to help the public, particularly the country’s vulnerable transport sector.
The Secretary assures the public of the DOE’s vigilance in finding more alternatives to provide targeted relief to the public transport sector.
“Makakaasa po kayo na itutuloy ng Kagawaran ng Enerhiya ang aming maigting na pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga kumpanya ng langis para sa posibleng pagpapalawak ng PUV discounts at isulong ang pagtatagumpay ng Pantawid Pasada,” Cusi said.
The agency is also encouraging oil companies to help cushion the impact of fuel prices hikes on public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and commuters through the implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.
Meanwhile, the DOE has recommended a framework to Philippine National oil Company-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) to guide the purchase of imported diesel from Russia and another non-OPEC country.
