‘Yolanda’ housing dwellers get new multicabs for public transport

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 27 (PNA) -- The Philippine Disaster Relief Foundation (PDRF) has turned over 12 multicabs to local transport group here on Monday, to establish public transport at the city’s northern resettlement sites.

The multicab will meet the demand for more transport services for the northern part of the city, where most dwellers work and study in the city’s commercial district. The relocation site is about 16 kilometers from downtown.

PDRF, with funding support from the United Agency for International Development, partnered with Negros Women for Tomorrow (NWT) to operate a transportation business for families badly displaced by super typhoon Yolanda.

“NWT taught the group how to run the business aside from teaching them how to drive a multicab,” said PDRF president Rene Meily.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority initially certified at least five male residents in Tagpuro village as new drivers.

One of the trained drivers is Arturo Salcedo, a former seaman, whose family resides at Villa Sophia housing project said this could help sustain the daily needs of his family.

His family earns from operating a small community store provided by PDRF. Their income is not enough to support his family’s daily needs.

The additional muticabs, according to Salcedo, will bring more convenience to the riding public during rush hours.

“We are calling officials in the government to hasten the documents processing so that we can start operating this transport business needed by relocates,” the new driver said.

A multicab is a small light truck in the Philippines that is usually used as public transport. Just like jeepneys, they have fixed routes. (PNA)
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