Philippines rolls out ₱5,000 fuel subsidy for PUV drivers amid rising costs
The Philippine government has started distributing a ₱5,000 fuel subsidy to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers in Metro Manila. The programme, announced on March 11, 2026, began on March 17 with tricycle drivers receiving payments first. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the initial payout to 550 drivers in Manila's District 4 as part of a wider effort to ease rising fuel costs. The subsidy targets 396,352 PUV drivers nationwide, including 135,196 tricycle operators in Metro Manila alone. After tricycle drivers, jeepney, taxi, transport network vehicle service (TNVS), and bus drivers will follow. Cebu is set to begin its own distribution a week later, covering 26,833 beneficiaries through fuel cards or direct transfers. Both drivers and operators qualify for the aid.
The rollout is coordinated by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and local governments under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) programme. Funding ranges from ₱30 billion to ₱60 billion, but challenges have emerged. These include verifying beneficiaries, debates over whether to include operators alongside drivers, and delays for certain groups. On March 24, President Marcos Jr. declared a State of National Energy Emergency. The DSWD also issued a warning about fake text messages offering online applications for fuel cash aid. The agency clarified it does not send such links and urged the public to report scams.
The subsidy distribution will expand nationwide by April, with regional rollouts already underway. The government aims to mitigate the impact of soaring fuel prices on PUV drivers. Officials continue to address logistical hurdles while warning against fraudulent schemes targeting beneficiaries.
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