The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided PHP5,000 in cash relief assistance (CRA) to 51,078 tricycle drivers from Western Visayas.

DSWD information officer for Western Visayas Therese Fely Legaste said they have a clean list of 53,868 tricycle drivers who are eligible to receive the financial aid under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

There are still around 2,700 trike drivers who failed to claim their CRA amid the special payout that was scheduled for those who were not able to make it during the scheduled release.

“We are checking with local government units if they will still claim, or they have reasons why they could not get their assistance,” Legaste said in an interview on Monday.

She said the distribution of CRA, including the special payout, was supposed to be completed by April 30.

“Some of the qualified recipients could have left to work in other places before the start of the distribution,” she said.

Meanwhile, they will start the release of the CRA for 6,242 qualified public utility jeepneys (PUJs) on May 11 to May 14 or 15.

Legaste said the list came from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, which is the regulating office for PUJs.

The CRA aims to provide relief to drivers amid the fuel price hikes due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. (PNA)