Community pantry provides relief to tricycle drivers in Sorsogon

By Benilda Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, Sorsogon --- For Jerone Bitancur, a tricycle driver in the town of Castilla, the daily grind has recently become more challenging. With rising fuel prices and stagnant fare rates, the money he brings home at the end of a long shift has dwindled to almost nothing.

“The high price of fuel is a heavy burden,” Bitancur said, speaking in Filipino.

“Fewer people are riding these days, but our expenses keep increasing. When gas prices rise, everything else follows – from rice to canned goods,” he added.

Bitancur is among the 490 registered tricycle drivers who have found a glimmer of hope, as the municipal government of Castilla has officially rolled out a community pantry designed to support the transport sector during the ongoing oil price crisis.

Mayor Isagani Mendoza, who personally led the distribution, emphasized that this initiative reflects the local government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable workers.

“Our tricycle drivers are the frontliners of our local economy, and they are often the hardest hit when oil prices surge,” Mendoza said during the program launch.

According to him, the pantry aims to ensure that while these drivers keep the town moving, their families at home do not go hungry. “We are committed to standing by them through this crisis,” the mayor added.

Under Mendoza’s directive, the program provides each driver with a relief pack worth P250. These packs are curated to meet immediate household needs, containing rice, assorted groceries, and locally grown vegetables sourced directly from farmers in Castilla.

Mendoza emphasized that the initiative is not merely a one-time handout. To ensure ongoing support, the distribution is conducted weekly for two months, allowing drivers to allocate their limited earnings to other essential household expenses.

While the local government has committed resources to sustain the program, the magnitude of the crisis calls for broader support.

The local government, through its public information office, is calling on the private sector and local organizations to join this effort.

Groups or individuals can practice bayanihan by donating extra produce or groceries at the designated pantry site located at the New Castilla Terminal.

“This is a shared challenge. We invite everyone in Castilla to show their compassion,” Mendoza stated.

“Even small donations can make a significant difference for a driver struggling to provide food for their family,” he added.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the provincial government of Sorsogon and the Castilla local government, the community pantry continues to serve as a vital lifeline, ensuring that essential needs of tricycle drivers are met. (PIA Bicol/Sorsogon)

LGU Castilla and Bureau of Fire personnel are on the ground at the New Castilla Terminal to serve. By helping distribute fresh vegetables from local farmers, rice and essential groceries, they are helping put food on the tables of nearly 500 tricycle driver families. (Photo: Mayor Isagani Mendoza)