P1.9K cards for free fuel given to Cordillera PUJs

BAGUIO CITY -- The Cordillera offices of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) have distributed 1,962 Pantawid Pasada Fuel Cards to operators of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) in the region.

                In a phone interview on Tuesday, LTFRB hearing officer Jessie Balagot told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the fuel cards were given last Saturday and Sunday.

He said these are just the initial distribution of the 4,920 fuel cards allotted for the entire region.

Each card contains P5,000 worth of government subsidy for the PUJ operators' fuel purchases for 2018.

Balagot said the next batch of distribution has yet to be decided, as the cards are distributed by state-run Land Bank of the Philippines.

To assure that the card goes to the qualified beneficiary, the Pantawid Pasada Fuel Card contains certain information such as complete name of franchise holder, the jeepney’s plate number, the region where the franchise was registered, and the card number.

Balagot said the Pantawid Pasada Fuel Card is valid for fuel purchases only in participating petroleum retail outlets or gasoline stations, with a “Pantawid Pasada Card Accepted Here” sign posted.

The outlets include Caltex, Petron, Phoenix, Shell, Total, and UniOil.

“Any violation in the use of the card (purchase of other products aside from fuel) will automatically disqualify the card owner from the Pantawid Pasada Fuel Program and its benefits,” Balagot warned. -- Pamela Mariz Geminiano/ PNA)