Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Delivery riders receive cash relief assistance at the Makati City Hal quadrangle on Friday morning. Eon Sanchez, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Eon Sanchez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774579938128viber_image_2026-03-27_07-50-50.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Delivery riders receive cash relief assistance at the Makati City Hal quadrangle on Friday morning. Eon Sanchez, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Delivery service riders lined up at the Makati City Hall quadrangle before daybreak on Friday as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) opened its latest round of cash assistance payouts, distributing P5,000 each to beneficiaries scheduled for March 27, 2026.</p><p>By 6:30 a.m., riders were already queued for verification, hoping to claim their aid before starting their shifts. Free pandesal were also given out after the recipients completed the process.</p><p>The DSWD expects 1,600 delivery riders to claim assistance on Friday, including those who failed to show up during Thursday’s rollout. </p><p>The agency’s week-long schedule allocated specific days per transport subgroup: Tuesday for TNVS drivers, Wednesday for jeepney and PUJ operators, Thursday and Friday for delivery riders, and Saturday for motorcycle taxi drivers.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LISTS FROM COMPANIES<br/></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the agency has been receiving fewer complaints about missing names — a problem that has repeatedly surfaced in previous aid distributions. But he stressed that gaps in the masterlists trace back to the companies that submitted them.</p><p>“I would like to say na mas konti yung mga nakukuha naming complaints na wala sa listahan because working with DICT, nakikita namin yung list na sinubmit ng mga companies operating it,” Gatchalian said.</p><p>He explained that the DSWD merely implements the distribution based on the data provided to them.</p><p>“Challenge here is kami yung humaharap sa tao pagka wala sa listahan pero hindi namin minsan mapaliwanag bakit wala sila sa listahan dahil hindi naman kami gumawa ng listahan,” he said.</p><p>Gatchalian pointed to “tempo drivers” — temporary drivers onboarded by platforms but not registered with the LTFRB — as a major contributor to the inconsistencies.</p><p>“Napakalaking porsyento ng kanilang mga driver, wala. Kasi nga yun yung natalakay ko couple of days ago. They have this type of drivers na in-onboard nila, called tempo drivers. Mga temporary drivers ito so they’re not registered with LTFRB officially pero nag-o-operate sila dahil in-onboard sila,” he said.</p><p>He added that some companies may be hesitant to provide complete lists because doing so would reveal how far they have exceeded their allowed quotas.</p><p>“Talagang sinabi na namin: ibigay nila sa amin nang buo yung listahan. Wag nilang i-filter. I think, they’re scared kasi of admitting na nag-onboard sila nang walang mga CPC o yung mga permits and lumagpas na sila dun sa quota na allowed for ride-hailing,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PAYOUT TO CONTINUE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Gatchalian also assured transport workers that the assistance will not end with this week’s payouts.</p><p>“Wag silang mag-alala. Sabi naman sa utos ng ating pangulo, hindi naman to isang beses lang. Sigurado kami na magkakaroon ng mga susunod na mga payout dahil naiintindihan namin na patuloy na tumataas ang presyo ng petrolyo,” he said.</p><p>“Ang sabi ng pangulo, for as long as it takes. So nakahanda na yung pondo ng DSWD,” he added, noting that P30 billion has been earmarked for transport sector support until June, with another P30 billion allotted for the second half of the year.</p><p>For riders at the payout site, the cash aid offers short-term relief amid rising costs and shrinking incomes.</p><p>Three-year delivery rider Eriberto Mendiola said the P5,000 will go to family expenses and their small store.</p><p>“[Pang-gastos] sa pamilya ko tapos pandagdag na rin po sa pampuhunan sa negosyo/tindahan namin,” he said.</p><p>But with prices and fuel costs climbing, Mendiola admitted the assistance feels limited. “Parang kulang pa rin kasi sobrang taas na rin ng mga bilihin e. Sumasabay pa yung gasolina.”</p><p>“Ideal siguro mga kahit mga doble. Kahit 10k, okay na,” he added.</p><p>Five-year rider Christopher Natividad said he plans to buy a new passenger helmet and pay debts.</p><p>“Pambili ng helmet saka yung iba, pambayad ng utang,” he said. </p><p>“Malaking bagay po kasi mahal na yung gasolina ngayon.”</p><p>Asked if the aid is enough, he said: “Sakto lang. Malaking bagay din,” adding that he is grateful regardless of the amount: “Okay na yun kung magkano lang ibigay. May trabaho naman eh.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J1UMK7y2ryY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian stressed that gaps in the masterlists trace back to the companies that submitted them.</p>

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian stressed that gaps in the masterlists trace back to the companies that submitted them.

DSWD points to companies for missing drivers in payout lists: 'Baka lumagpas sila sa quota'

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DSWD points to companies for missing drivers in payout lists: 'Baka lumagpas sila sa quota'

Eon Sanchez,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 27, 2026 11:06 AM PHT

Read More:

cash relief assistance

delivery driver

DSWD

fuel prices

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