PUJ drivers assured that Pantawid Pasada Cards

already pre-loaded with amount, LTO-7 says

by Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU CITY, July 19 (PIA) --- Public utility drivers need not worry that when they claim the Pantawid Pasada (PP) Cards they have yet to wait for five days at the very least before the Smart cards can be loaded. The Smart cards are now pre-loaded with P1,050 and all the operators have to do is just to claim it at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) – 7 or any of its provincial district offices.

LTO-7 Regional Director Raul Aguilos in a recent press conference urged jeepney operators to claim the PP Cards and exploit the opportunity to avail of the government’s fuel transport assistance program before fuel prices go up. Another oil price hike is said to be looming based on media reports.

“I call out to the jeepney operators to make use of the government’s fuel purchase assistance program especially as prices of oil remain unstable. Claim your Pantawid Pasada Cards now as we also already have the list of retail gas outlets that are accepting the Smart Cards,” Aguilos stressed.

Aguilos surmised that the low turn-out of distribution is due to two major factors; first, drivers have yet to wait for several days before the Smart Cards can be loaded and second, drivers do not where to access the PP Cards because they have no list yet on the retail gas stations that can accommodate the Smart Cards.

Aguilos said out of the 11,965 PP Cards for Central Visayas, only 20 percent have been claimed so far. Of the total figure, Cebu gets the biggest bulk with 10, 831 cards but only 2, 155 cards were claimed or roughly 19 percent.

Out of the 588 PP Cards for Tagbilaran City, Bohol, only four were claimed while only one operator claimed his benefit out of the 418 cards for Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental.

Also in Negros Oriental, Bais City was allotted with 103 cards but only eight took advantage of the PP Program and Bayawan City was given 25 cards but only 13 claimed their PP Cards, Aguilos reported.

The LTO-7 chief said that they are making allowances to make sure that the PP Cards are completely distributed. “We now allow the immediate family member of the operator to claim the Pantawid Pasada Card or even the drivers can claim the cards as long as they bring the necessary documents,” Aguilo emphasized.

Aguilos said the only requirements needed to claim the Pantawid Pasada Cards are the copy of official receipt and Certificate of Registration from the LTO (original and photocopy), Certificate of Franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (original and photocopy) and legitimate identification card. (PIA 7-Cebu)