MANILA – More than 10,000 motorcycle taxi and transport network vehicle service (TNVS) drivers failed to receive the government’s P5,000 cash assistance after some ride-hailing companies did not fully submit their driver lists, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the issue stemmed from certain transport network companies (TNCs) withholding complete data, which left many active drivers initially excluded from the payout.

“After Holy Week… ilalabas na namin ang cash relief assistance sa Metro Manila… tentative schedule natin Wednesday after Holy Week,” he said.
(After Holy Week, we will release the cash relief assistance in Metro Manila… our tentative schedule is Wednesday after Holy Week.)

Gatchalian noted that payouts will not be released all at once, as the DSWD is coordinating with local government units (LGUs) to finalize validated lists.

Rushing to complete first round

The DSWD aims to finish the first round of distribution as soon as possible, especially amid rising fuel prices.

“Gusto natin matapos kaagad. Ayaw natin na umabot na yung second round tapos hindi pa ito nabibigyan,” he said.
(We want to finish this immediately. We do not want to reach the second round while others have yet to receive assistance.)

The government is also preparing for a second round of aid to address the continuing rise in oil prices. Efforts are underway to consolidate and clean beneficiary lists to ensure smoother distribution in the next phase.

The upcoming payout will include both unclaimed beneficiaries and drivers not initially listed due to incomplete submissions from operators.

“Mas marami ang naka-onboard na TNVS drivers… sadly itinago nila sa amin ’yun for obvious reasons, but together with the LTFRB we managed to secure those lists,” Gatchalian said.
(There are more onboard TNVS drivers… sadly this was withheld from us for obvious reasons, but together with the LTFRB we managed to secure those lists.)

He singled out two major platforms, saying:
“Particularly dalawang player ’yan na Grab… and InDrive… itong dalawa lang talaga yung may malaking issue.”
(There are particularly two players, Grab and InDrive… these two had significant issues.)

‘Shadow’ drivers

Gatchalian also highlighted a “hidden” sector of drivers who were actively operating but not reflected in official government records.

“Ito yung mga driver na naka-onboard sa kanilang system pero walang… authority… sa mata ng gobyerno hindi pa natin alam na nandiyan sila,” he said.
(These are drivers onboard their systems but without proper authority… from the government’s perspective, they were not officially accounted for.)

While these drivers appeared valid within app-based platforms, they were not recognized in government databases due to incomplete documentation. Authorities continue to coordinate with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and LGUs to finalize updated lists and ensure all qualified drivers receive the assistance.