AN official from the Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) urged affected drivers and operators to register for the social program under the High Priority Bus System (HPBS) of the city government.
“Tentative gihapon gina-target na masugdan gyud fully (ang high-priority bus system) karong 2023 sa third quarter,” CSWDO Operations Division focal person Mae D. Aquino said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio Monday, January 9, 2023.
Aquino said that based on their latest data as of press time, 7,392 drivers and operators were qualified for the HPBS social program. Assistance for drivers can either be financial or non-financial.
Aquino added that there are still 1,879 pending registrations due to a lack of documents.
“As per registration didto sa LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board), naa tay mga 24,000 ka drivers, pero sa pagkakaron ang registered sa atong Magsaysay Office sa HPBS is almost 8,000 lang ang nagpa-register (we have around 24,000 drivers, however, based on our current data in our Magsaysay Office, almost 8,000 drivers only registered for the HPBS),” Aquino said.
She said after successful registration, each operator and driver will receive P100,000 and P80,000 financial assistance, respectively. However, she clarified if three drivers are using one unit, they will split the P80,000 financial assistance. The drivers or operators will also have to surrender and scrap their units before they receive financial assistance.
She also said that they recognize “emotional baggage” such as reluctance, deadline rushes, and overcoming sentimental attachment that the drivers and operators undergo during the transition to the modernized transport system from the current system.
“Mao nang sa atoang Magsaysay Park (office) naa pod ta’y grievance section na naga-attend pod ana ilang mga gibati aron maplastar ilang gibati (That’s why at our Magsaysay Park office, we have a grievance section that attends to their concern),” Aquino said.
She added that social workers per barangay are also being prepared to accommodate the emotional needs of the drivers and operators.
Meanwhile, she said that those drivers who decline to register for the social development program of the HPBS may still go to their office to inquire about non-financial aid such as livelihood projects, employment assistance, medical assistance, and scholarships for their children.
Aquino said that 18 drivers have availed of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) livelihood projects, 347 have availed of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) livelihood program, 366 drivers availed of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) scholarships for their children, and 41 drivers undergo NC-III training for driving under Tesda.
Shealso said the registration is still ongoing at their office located at Magsaysay Park, in Ramon Magsaysay avenue, Davao City, with the registration deadline tentatively set in April of this year.
HPBS is an initiative of former Davao City Mayor and former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018 to modernize public transportation in the city. Existing jeepneys and multicabs will be replaced by around 1,000 modern buses. The city aims to hire a minimum of three drivers per modernized bus. ICE