MANILA -- The government will continue providing fuel subsidies for the transport sector but the program will be expanded to cover tricycle drivers and operators, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday.

President Marcos told reporters during a press briefing in Malacañang that among the issues discussed during the first Cabinet meeting include the management and funding source for the additional fuel subsidies for the sector.

“We have enough budget I think to last for most of this — for this year and a little bit beyond. But we still have to find that money if we’re going to continue,” he said.

The government’s Libreng Sakay program will also continue but only for the students as they go back to school this September, the President said.

“We’ll phase it out because we cannot afford to keep that going. But students will ride for free on LRT 2, which is going to the university belt,” he noted.

Talking about his directive to the members of his Cabinet, President Marcos said he wants a streamlined bureaucracy and quick results.

“I give you a relatively free hand in deciding who you want to hire and how you want to change the structure of your department, if indeed that’s what you want to do. But do it soon because we have work to do and we have to get to work immediately,” he said. (PND)