Issues regarding Grab drivers’ cancellation of bookings and the application of the 20% fare discounts for eligible passengers have been raised at a Senate hearing.
During the Senate public services hearing on Tuesday, Senator Raffy Tulfo said his office has received complaints from passengers who said their bookings with ride-hailing application Grab were cancelled by their drivers even if they already waited for a long time.
For Tulfo, the current mechanism is favorable to Grab, but not for the passengers.
“Magbu-book ang isang pasahero sa Grab sasabihin ‘Will be there in 20 minutes.’ Pagdating ng 20 minutes, papa-extend ng another 10 minutes. Na-extend. So naging 30 minutes na and then all of a sudden ika-cancel. Ba’t gan’on?” Tulfo said.
(One Grab passenger will book and get a response, ‘Will be there in 20 minutes.’ After 20 minutes, another 10-minute extension will be sought. So it becomes 30 minutes and then all of a sudden, it’s canceled. Why does this happen?)
“Alisin na dapat ang multa na P50 kung magkansela ang pasahero. It should go both ways hindi one-way lamang na kayo lang puwedeng magpa-cancel… Pag-aralan niyong mabuti ‘yan it’s not fair,” he added.
(The P50-fine should be removed if the passenger makes the cancellation. It should go both ways, not just one way wherein only riders can cancel… Study this very closely, it’s not fair.)
LTFRB regulation
Grab Philippines public affairs head Gio Tingson said this was in accordance with the regulation that was imposed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Tingson likewise said that there are consequences for drivers who frequently cancel their bookings.
“Nagkakaroon ng kaukulang imbestigasyon o tinitignan po yung bawat sitwasyon at titignan ‘yung reasons for cancellation. Minsan po iba-iba po siya, but ang importante po ay inire-report din po sa platform para maaksyunan po namin agad,” Tingson said.
(There will be a corresponding investigation, then we will look into every situation and the reason for cancellation. Sometimes the reasons vary, but what’s important is that these are reported in a platform for prompt action.)
“May tinatawag na penalties pag may reklamo… Graduated po siya from suspension sa platform at pag-ban…Tinatawag po sa office para i-clarify bakit ganoon ang violation na meron siya,” Tingson added.
(There are what you call penalties if complaints are lodged…. These are graduated penalties, from suspension on the platform and ban… Calls can be made to the office to clarify why the rider was penalized for a certain violation.)
Few complaints received
LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III informed the panel that there is a P5,000-fine for cancellation booking, but only a few passengers raise this with the regulatory agency.
“If and when a passenger gets cancelled and an appropriate complaint or we were notified, the sanction there is, on the first offense is a penalty of P5,000. The violation is refusal to convey dahil tinanggap mo ‘yung pasahero and then ayaw mo siyang dalhin sa kanyang destinasyon (The violation is refusal to convey because the passenger was accepted, but was refused to be brought to his or her destination),” he said, adding that, “If a complaint is filed and we have cases of this, we sanction the driver with a P5,000 penalty.”
“Mayroon na po kaming mga na-sanction, bagamat kakaunti lang po dahil kakaunti ang nagpapaabot sa LTFRB. We have to be informed first. ‘Pag nainform naman kami, may sanction po kaagad ‘yun after a show cause,” he added.
(We have given sanctions to such violators, although not that many because only a few bring this up with the LTFRB. We have to be informed first. After we are informed, a sanction will be given right after a show cause is issued.)
Tulfo then suggested that Grab inform its passengers about this LTFRB sanction through the company’s application.
“Maglagay kayo dun sa inyong app ng notice na kapag nag-cancel ang driver na mayroon palang regulation sa LTFRB na sila mumultahan ng P5,000 to let the passengers know and then kung ano ‘yung kanilang rights,” the senator said.
(Put a notice in the app, saying that LTFRB regulations are in place to slap a P5,000-fine against a driver who cancels. This will help inform passengers about their rights.)
“At the same time, para mag-ingat din itong mga driver na hindi sila basta-basta pawara-wara, cancel dito, cancel doon at their convenience. Puro at their convenience, hindi kumbinyente ng pasahero,” he added.
(At the same time, this would also remind the driver to take care, and they cannot indiscriminately cancel here, cancel there at their convenience. It’s all about their convenience, not the convenience of the passengers.)
Tingson assured Tulfo that they will emphasize this LTFRB regulation in their application.
20% discount
In the same hearing, the LTFRB said the Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) company, not the driver, should absorb the 20% discount for eligible passengers like persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and students.
However, over the past six months, it was shouldered by the drivers, according to Saturnino Mopas, chairman and spokesperson of the TNVS Community Philippines.
“For the past how many years po, ang TNC (transportation network companies) po ang su-shoulder ng 20% para sa PWDs, senior, at mga student. Pero… noong taon na ito hindi ko alam kung anong buwan po ‘yun, ang nag-su-shoulder po ay mga drivers na po,” he said.
(For the past how many years, the TNC shoulders the 20% for the PWDs, senior, and students. This year, however, I’m not sure when this took effect, but it was the drivers who shouldered the cost.)
“Almost six months na po yata. Ito pong pagpasok ng 2024 (Perhaps almost six months. Sometime during the start of 2024),” he added.
Tingson cited Republic Act 10754 or the Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons With Disability as a basis for the drivers shouldering the 20% discount.
He said they only shouldered the discount during the pandemic to help the drivers.
However, Guadiz maintained that it should be shouldered by the company and not the drivers.
“We have an existing memorandum circular issued by the LTFRB and it gets very explicit on it. Before we award them the franchise, nandoon na po ‘yun–the 20% discount shall be shouldered by the TNC regardless whether it’s Grab or any other TNC, yan po ang batas na ipinapatupad namin sa LTFRB and we are bound by that law because before they are given the franchise, nandyan na yung memorandum circular na ‘yun,” Guadiz said.
(We have an existing memorandum circular issued by the LTFRB and it gets very explicit on it. Before we award them the franchise, it’s already there—the 20% discount shall be shouldered by the TNC regardless whether it’s Grab or any other TNC, that’s the law which we at the LTFRB implement. We are bound by that law because before they are given the franchise, the memorandum circular is already there.)
Tulfo then asked if this was a violation of Grab’s franchise, Guadiz answered, “I would assume.”
For Tulfo, there should be a fine for this violation of Grab’s franchise agreement.
“May I request them for a statement from the driver and we will give them a show-cause [order] and if the evidence warrants, we will issue appropriate suspension of their franchise,” Guadiz said.
“In fact ‘yung today’s hearing, upon hearing what was stated dito po sa statement noong Ginoo po (TNVS Community Philippines’ Saturnino Ninoy Mopas) if that can be reduced into writing, puwede na po naming aksyunan agad and we will conduct a hearing next week,” he added.
(In fact in today’s hearing, upon hearing what was stated in the statement from the gentleman, (TNVS Community Philippines’ Saturnino Mopas), if that can be reduced into writing, action can be taken and we will conduct a hearing next week.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News
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