The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has concluded its nationwide cash relief payout for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and delivery riders affected by the oil price hike, serving a total of 1.8 million beneficiaries as of June 30, 2026.
PHP9.13 Billion Disbursed Under AICS Program
From March 17 to June 30, the DSWD distributed PHP5,000 each to over 1.8 million individuals, disbursing more than PHP9.139 billion under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program. DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao confirmed the conclusion of the payout on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
Breakdown of Beneficiaries
The largest group of beneficiaries were tricycle drivers, with 1,200,009 receiving aid. Delivery service riders followed with 314,530, jeepney drivers with 119,030, motorcycle taxi drivers with over 104,000, and transportation network vehicle service drivers with 89,394.
Discrepancy Between Target and Actual Beneficiaries
Initially, based on lists endorsed by local government units, Transport Network Companies, the Private Express and Messengerial Delivery Service Sector, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology, some 2.4 million PUV drivers were expected to benefit. Dumlao attributed the discrepancy to individuals who are no longer working as PUV drivers or may have left the country.
Special Payouts and Government Framework
The DSWD conducted special payouts to accommodate those not included in the initial list or who missed their scheduled payout. The cash relief is part of the Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) framework of the Marcos administration, aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive for government agencies to provide interventions to sectors affected by the Middle East conflict.
In Negros Occidental, the DSWD-Negros Island Region distributed PHP5,000 cash relief to transport network vehicle service and delivery service drivers at SM City Bacolod on May 28, 2026.
