LTFRB urged to impose iron-fist policy on Grab
Published Apr 22, 2018 03:42 pm
By Charissa Luci-Atienza and Ellson Quismorio
A leader of the House of Representatives is calling on the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to impose an iron fist policy on the operator of Grab Philippines following snowballing complaints of abrupt ride cancellations and prohibitive fare price surges.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said the abusive practices of Grab's driver-partners should be put to an end, even as he asked the LTFRB to speed up the processing of the applications of three other transport network operators to stir competition.
“We cannot allow Grab to continue allowing its abusive driver-partners to operate or to overcharge passengers just because we are left with no choice but to tolerate Grab’s virtual monopoly that has led to a fast deteriorating quality of service,” he said.
Villafuerte said he has been informed that some Grab driver-partners cancel bookings without even the courtesy of informing the riders about the cancellation.
“Many of them have complained that they were made to wait for a long time by drivers, only to have their rides cancelled. This is highly unprofessional behavior that Grab should not tolerate,” he said.
The vice chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and Local Government called on Grab to adopt Uber’s practice of using customer ratings of drivers to determine who should be prioritized in getting passenger bookings, and suspending those who cancel rides repeatedly or refuse to accept bookings. He even proposed that drivers should not know the destinations of their booked rides until after they have already picked up their passengers.
He said for Grab to improve its service, the LTFRB should immediately act on the applications of four new transport network companies (TNCs) - Lag Go, Owto, Hype, and Pira to prod Grab to improve its service.
Villafuerte noted that so far, the LTFRB only approved the accreditation of Hype Transport Systems, as another potential TNC, HirNa, is also exploring the possibility of joining the ride-hailing industry.
“Up to now, the LTFRB has not yet acted on the rest of the applications. Its practice of taking its own sweet time in accomplishing what should have been urgent tasks is another reason why the power and authority over ride-hailing services should be removed from this office and transferred to its mother agency, which is the
Department of Transportation (DOTr),” Villafuerte said.
He sought the passage of House Bill No. 6467 which empowers the DOTr, and not the LTFRB to have authority over TNCs and transport network vehicle services (TNVS).
“TNVS like the drivers of Uber and Grab should be classified as “private carriers” because they can choose not to offer their car-riding services by signing off from the platform and their services are by special agreement only unlike “common carriers” which are persons, corporations or associations engaged in the business of carrying or transporting passengers or goods or both, for compensation,” he explained.
“TNCs do not provide transportation services but merely link a potential customer with a third party driver or TNVS and are thus not parties to a transportation contract,” he added.
House Bill No. 6467 requires TNCs and TNVS to secure permits from the DOTr.
Under the bill, the DOTR is authorized to compel them to secure comprehensive insurance policies, conduct safety inspections of prospective TNVS before these are approved for use, and oversee drivers through stringent background checks, among other requirements.
‘Soiled’ LTFRB
The entire Grab Philippines overcharging fiasco has hurt the riding public's trust toward the LTFRB, according to Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-List Rep. Jericho.
Nograles described the P2 per minute charge imposed by Grab as shocking to commuters since it appeared arbitrary and therefore illegal. The solon was the one who exposed the controversial charge.
“Yong reaction ng riders sa P2 per minute charge, sabi nila, 'teka teka di ba nandyan yong LTFRB? Bakit hindi ang LTFRB ang nagbuking nyan, bakit congressman ang nagbuking nyan?'“ Nograles said. (The rider's reaction to the P2 per minute charge was, 'wait don't we have the LTFRB? Why wasn't the LTFRB the one that exposed that, why was it that a congressman did?)
“So there is a question also on the capability of the LTFRB when it comes to this. So natamaan, natamaan ang trust ng tao sa LTFRB (The people's trust toward LTFRB took a hit),” he added.
Nograles had earlier estimated that Grab owes their riders some P3.24 billion in illegally collected fares after its admission that it has been charging them P2 per minute on travel time since June 2017.
The Davao-based solon said the decision to collect this extra fee was made by the Grab management alone.
Asked if the LTFRB had been negligent or too lenient, Nograles said, “Yon ang lumalabas (That's what we're seeing).”
“So dapat yong LTFRB daw, dahil nasa teritoryo nila, sila ang dapat pumalag doon. Ngayon palag na sila dahil congressman na ang nakabuking (The LTFRB should have challenged the charge since it's within their territory. Now they have no choice but to do so because a congressman has exposed it),” he said.
But Nograles said the most important action of all is for Grab to refund the collected illegal fees from its patrons.
“Ang ending ko dito, pakisauli po ang mga bilyones na kinuha niyo po sa taumbayan (I end this by saying, please return the billions that you took from the riding public), ...See you in Bilibid (See you in jail).”
Singapore-based Grab recently took over the Southeast Asian operations of its main competitor, United States-based Uber, making it the sole TNC player in the Philippines. Numerous other TNC companies are now applying before the LTRFB.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said the abusive practices of Grab's driver-partners should be put to an end, even as he asked the LTFRB to speed up the processing of the applications of three other transport network operators to stir competition.
“We cannot allow Grab to continue allowing its abusive driver-partners to operate or to overcharge passengers just because we are left with no choice but to tolerate Grab’s virtual monopoly that has led to a fast deteriorating quality of service,” he said.
Villafuerte said he has been informed that some Grab driver-partners cancel bookings without even the courtesy of informing the riders about the cancellation.
“Many of them have complained that they were made to wait for a long time by drivers, only to have their rides cancelled. This is highly unprofessional behavior that Grab should not tolerate,” he said.
The vice chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and Local Government called on Grab to adopt Uber’s practice of using customer ratings of drivers to determine who should be prioritized in getting passenger bookings, and suspending those who cancel rides repeatedly or refuse to accept bookings. He even proposed that drivers should not know the destinations of their booked rides until after they have already picked up their passengers.
He said for Grab to improve its service, the LTFRB should immediately act on the applications of four new transport network companies (TNCs) - Lag Go, Owto, Hype, and Pira to prod Grab to improve its service.
Villafuerte noted that so far, the LTFRB only approved the accreditation of Hype Transport Systems, as another potential TNC, HirNa, is also exploring the possibility of joining the ride-hailing industry.
“Up to now, the LTFRB has not yet acted on the rest of the applications. Its practice of taking its own sweet time in accomplishing what should have been urgent tasks is another reason why the power and authority over ride-hailing services should be removed from this office and transferred to its mother agency, which is the
Department of Transportation (DOTr),” Villafuerte said.
He sought the passage of House Bill No. 6467 which empowers the DOTr, and not the LTFRB to have authority over TNCs and transport network vehicle services (TNVS).
“TNVS like the drivers of Uber and Grab should be classified as “private carriers” because they can choose not to offer their car-riding services by signing off from the platform and their services are by special agreement only unlike “common carriers” which are persons, corporations or associations engaged in the business of carrying or transporting passengers or goods or both, for compensation,” he explained.
“TNCs do not provide transportation services but merely link a potential customer with a third party driver or TNVS and are thus not parties to a transportation contract,” he added.
House Bill No. 6467 requires TNCs and TNVS to secure permits from the DOTr.
Under the bill, the DOTR is authorized to compel them to secure comprehensive insurance policies, conduct safety inspections of prospective TNVS before these are approved for use, and oversee drivers through stringent background checks, among other requirements.
‘Soiled’ LTFRB
The entire Grab Philippines overcharging fiasco has hurt the riding public's trust toward the LTFRB, according to Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-List Rep. Jericho.
Nograles described the P2 per minute charge imposed by Grab as shocking to commuters since it appeared arbitrary and therefore illegal. The solon was the one who exposed the controversial charge.
“Yong reaction ng riders sa P2 per minute charge, sabi nila, 'teka teka di ba nandyan yong LTFRB? Bakit hindi ang LTFRB ang nagbuking nyan, bakit congressman ang nagbuking nyan?'“ Nograles said. (The rider's reaction to the P2 per minute charge was, 'wait don't we have the LTFRB? Why wasn't the LTFRB the one that exposed that, why was it that a congressman did?)
“So there is a question also on the capability of the LTFRB when it comes to this. So natamaan, natamaan ang trust ng tao sa LTFRB (The people's trust toward LTFRB took a hit),” he added.
Nograles had earlier estimated that Grab owes their riders some P3.24 billion in illegally collected fares after its admission that it has been charging them P2 per minute on travel time since June 2017.
The Davao-based solon said the decision to collect this extra fee was made by the Grab management alone.
Asked if the LTFRB had been negligent or too lenient, Nograles said, “Yon ang lumalabas (That's what we're seeing).”
“So dapat yong LTFRB daw, dahil nasa teritoryo nila, sila ang dapat pumalag doon. Ngayon palag na sila dahil congressman na ang nakabuking (The LTFRB should have challenged the charge since it's within their territory. Now they have no choice but to do so because a congressman has exposed it),” he said.
But Nograles said the most important action of all is for Grab to refund the collected illegal fees from its patrons.
“Ang ending ko dito, pakisauli po ang mga bilyones na kinuha niyo po sa taumbayan (I end this by saying, please return the billions that you took from the riding public), ...See you in Bilibid (See you in jail).”
Singapore-based Grab recently took over the Southeast Asian operations of its main competitor, United States-based Uber, making it the sole TNC player in the Philippines. Numerous other TNC companies are now applying before the LTRFB.