Pasay trike drivers lament delayed aid from city government

As the enhanced community quarantine over Luzon neared its one-month mark, Pasay City tricycle drivers on Tuesday lamented the delayed assistance from the local government.

In Marisol Abdurahman's report on 24 Oras, tricycle driver John Paul Dongallo said he did not know how he survived the last days with his wife and three kids, one of whom was an infant, given that he had no income due to the suspension of public transportation.

"Wala po kaming ibang pagkakakitaan po, kundi tricycle lang po. Wala po kaming pagkunan ng panggastos pang araw-araw namin, pagkain. Hindi na po kami mamatay sa virus, sa gutom na po," Dongallo said.

"Sana po bigyan niyo po kami ng pansin ngayon. Ngayon po namin kailangan ang inyong tulong," another driver said.

Dongallo's group, which had 300 members, reportedly expected the aid to arrive on April 3 after they filed the appropriate forms.

"Gutom na. May mga pamilya kami. Pwede sana kung pagbigyan nila kami byumahe. Kahit hindi na sila magbigay at least meron, ano, eh. Pero wala, eh," Mike Flores, President of the TODA-DCR, said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the TODA-Nichols expressed envy of other drivers who had received aid from their local governments.

"Eh, nakakainggit po dahil bakit 'yung ibang local government naibibigay 'yung kanilang mga ayuda samantalang sa amin," Danny Lacerna said.

Though Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano admitted that the aid was delayed, she promised that it was being processed.

"Siyempre po sa pagkukuha ng kanilang names na sina-submit at siyempre mayroong kaunting documents para naman to prove na talagang sila nga 'yung tatanggap ng tulong. 'Yun lang, medyo bumagal," Rubiano said.

Rubiano added that aid would also arrive for pedicab and jeepney drivers.

"Sa tingin ko sa week na 'to, makakatanggap na po sila," she said. 

Only three barangays out of Pasay's 201 barangays remained free of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as cases in the city reached 19. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News