Phoenix Petroleum extends Fuel Subsidy Assistance for DOTr Free Ride For Health Workers Program until May 15

Bus units participating in the Free Ride Service for Health Workers Program of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will continue to receive free fuel from Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. as the oil firm extends the assistance following the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and in other areas.

The extension of the assistance aims to sustain the fuel aid being given to several bus companies that have committed to support the transport of health workers to their designated hospitals and medical communities daily amid the country's fight to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Until May 15, 2020, Phoenix Petroluem Philippines Inc. has assured to continuously provide 50 liters of fuel a day to 60 private bus companies participating in the DOTr Free Ride Service for Health Workers or a total daily allocation of 3,000 liters.

Guidelines covering the initial implementation of the fuel subsidy assistance will also cover the subsidy program's extension.

To avail of the free fuel assistance, bus units participating in the Free Ride Service for Health Workers Program should at least complete two round trips on a given day. They will then be provided with a voucher, which will be certified and signed by the leaders in the different staging areas. The voucher will then be signed by an authorized representative at the assigned Phoenix Petroleum gas stations.

For the extended fuel subsidy program, participating bus units can proceed to seven designated Phoenix Petroleum gas stations: PX RETAIL CODO-Timog and PNX RETAIL CODO-Bahay Toro in Quezon City; PNX RETAIL CODO-Mall of Asia in Pasay City; PNX AFA PSPC-NAIA Road in Parañaque City; PNX RETAIL CODO-Malanday 1 in Valenzuela; PNX RETAIL CODO-Potrero in Malabon; and PNX AFA PSPC-Filinvest-Northgate in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

DOTr Undersecretary for Administrative Service and official representative to the IATF Artemio Tuazon Jr. welcomed the decision of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines to extend its fuel subsidy assistance for the whole duration of the ECQ period.

"Matagal-tagal pa ang tatakbuhin ng ECQ kaya’t malaking bagay na talagang tuluy-tuloy din ang tulong natin sa mga bus companies na walang-kapagurang sumusuporta sa Free Ride Service [for Health Workers] ng DOTr. This is why we are grateful to Phoenix Petroleum for their continuous partnership. As [DOTr] Secretary Tugade had mentioned, our drivers and operators are considered as frontliners too and because of that, they also need all the support they can get," Usec. Tuazon pointed out.

For his part, Phoenix Petroleoum Philippines, Inc. Senior Vice President Atty. Raymond Zorilla said that the extension of the free fuel grant is a way to ease the burden of our frontline health workers that have been sacrificing their lives to end the crisis.

"In view of the extension of the ECQ until May 15, we have decided to continue providing free fuels to the buses administered by the DOTR which transport our brave frontliners to their workplaces. This is our humble contribution in alleviating the plights of our new heroes so that they will no longer worry about their transportation and for them to concentrate in their efforts of containing this pandemic," Zorilla expressed.

Since its initial launch on 18 March 2020, the DOTr Free Ride Service for Health Workers Program has recorded a total of 413,589 ridership as of April 25, 2020.

The DOTr has likewise partnered with other oil firms such as with Clean Fuel (which also extended its fuel subsidy assistance until May 15); Petron Corporation; Seaoil Philippines; and Total Philippines for the provision of free fuel to participating bus units in the Free Ride Service for Health Workers Program.

Malacañang on Friday announced the extension until May 15, 2020, of the enforcement period of the Enhanced Community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region, in other parts of Luzon, and other areas that are considered "high risk" for COVID-19. The ECQ was initially set to end on April 30.