Dumaguete: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the Negros Island Region (NIR) distributed cash relief assistance to riders and drivers in the delivery and logistics sector in Negros Oriental on Thursday. More than 600 beneficiaries from across the province have been identified to receive the cash assistance to help them cope with the current economic crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict.
According to Philippines News Agency, John Michael Rollorata, Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) team leader, stated that the payout is the third tranche for the transport sector. "The first to receive the cash grant were tricycle drivers, followed by jeepney drivers, and then the delivery riders," Rollorata mentioned. This initiative aims to alleviate the beneficiaries' struggles with rising fuel costs and other commodities.
Hundreds of beneficiaries from different parts of the province gathered at the Negros Oriental Convention Center to receive the cash aid. Cherrylyn Gabatan, 48, of Barangay Balugo in the capital city, noted that the assistance is a significant help as she has children still attending school. Gabatan has been working as a delivery rider for an online food app for five years, which is her family's primary income source.
Jaylard Ca±ete, who recently got married and is from Vallehermoso, expressed gratitude to the government under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s administration for the cash relief assistance. Ca±ete, who delivers items for an e-commerce platform, faces challenges delivering parcels in mountainous areas requiring more fuel. He spends PHP150 to PHP200 daily on fuel but has a quota to meet.
Both Gabatan and Ca±ete, who work for the same online shopping app, mentioned they must complete 60 deliveries a day to receive an extra incentive. Meanwhile, Rollorata announced another payout will occur in Bayawan City on Friday for riders from the southern parts of the province, including Sta. Catalina and Basay. He also noted that those who missed receiving their cash relief assistance can visit the DSWD-NIR office to claim their benefit.
