LOOK: DOTr Agencies Distributed “Malasakit Help Kits” on Father’s Day

On Father’s Day yesterday, Malasakit Help Desks (MHDs) were set up in major transportation hubs throughout the country to distribute Malasakit Help Kits to fathers in various airports, seaports, land terminals, and train stations.

These kits contained drinks and light snacks, battery-operated fans, face towels, foldable fans, wet wipes, hand sanitizers or lotions of permitted volume, and ball pens, among other things.

Participating agencies include the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and Office for Transportation Security (OTS) for the Aviation and Airports sector; MRT-3, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), and Philippine National Railways (PNR) for the Railways sector; Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) for the Road sector; and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Cebu Ports Authority (CPA), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for the Maritime sector.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade instructed the distribution of Malasakit Help Kits to passengers as an act of appreciation for their continued patronage of the country’s transportation hubs, as well as an expression of ‘malasakit’ or care beyond duty or requirement especially to women, children, senior citizens, and Persons with Disabilities.

The distribution of Malasakit Help Kits also serves to strengthen the role of MHDs as a one-stop shop for passenger assistance in airports, seaports, train stations, and land terminals. It serves as a convenient and accessible nexus for various government services in public transport.

As an integrated assistance center, the DOTr Malasakit Help Desk can receive or handle airport/seaport/terminal-related inquiries and complaints, provide road-related assistance (i.e., booking TNVS/taxi rides), facilitate the refund of terminal fees, provide attestation of cause of trip cancellation or delays, deliver emergency medical assistance, accept reports of possible security threats, and extend other forms of assistance to passengers or commuters.

Malasakit Help Kits will also be distributed on other special occasions such as Mother’s Day, International Women’s Day, and Valentine’s Day, as well as during “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos” campaigns in dense transit seasons such as Christmas, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (Undas), Holy Week, and school opening.