Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged the government to include transport cooperatives in aid programs addressing the ongoing oil crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict.
She wrote to the Department of Budget and Management seeking clarification on how the P30 billion DSWD fund could support cooperative drivers, who remain idle after the fare hike suspension.
Hontiveros stressed that public transport drivers of all classes need supplemental income to prevent paralysis of the transport system.
She also pushed for her proposed P52.8 billion subsidy package, which includes P12 billion for PUV drivers, delivery riders, and transport network vehicle service drivers.
The aid call comes amid rising fuel prices caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz following military actions in the Middle East, despite President Marcos’s releasing P21.47 billion for fuel subsidies and infrastructure projects.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 21, 2026
