At least 400 tricycle drivers here received accident insurance cards facilitated by the Drivers United for Mass Progress and Equal Rights – Philippines Taxi Drivers Association (Dumper PTDA) Partylist and Cocolife Insurance Company on Friday.

In an interview, Pacifico Paolo Argel, Cocolife senior assistant manager, said the recipients are members of Dumper PTDA.

“We offer P10,000 accident insurance to the drivers in case they figure in an accident,” he said.

The coverage is 24 hours daily, on and off the job, and will be automatically terminated when the beneficiary reached 70 years old.

Dumper PTDA partylist Rep. Claudine Diana Bautista-Lim said some 13,000 drivers all over the country have already availed of the program.

“Our goal is to provide coverage insurance to the transportation drivers. That’s why we tried hard to provide this accident insurance,” she said in an interview.

Dumper PTDA, a political group that advocates for drivers’ welfare and protection, represents not only the public transportation sector nationwide but also the commuters.

Apart from the accident insurance coverage, Lim said that they also continue to provide scholarships for the drivers’ children, medical, burial, and hospitalization assistance.

“These programs have been running for three years. We are planning to increase this year and have identified at least 10,000 beneficiaries in the entire Davao Region,” the lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, Edgardo Antipolo, president of the Poblacion Malita Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association, said the accident insurance is a big help for their group.

“Despite the insurance, we still wish that we will always be safe because we are also carrying the lives of our passengers. We want them to be safe too,” he said. (PNA)