Senator Grace Poe said on Tuesday that she remains committed to craft a final version of a bill seeking to provide a legal framework for transport network vehicle services for the benefit of the public.
Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said the resumption of operations of Uber will set in motion more choices for commuters after it settled the P190-million penalty that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board had earlier imposed.
With the resumption of Uber’s operation following its payment of the hefty fine, Poe said the riding public would somehow be able to regain its power in deciding what mode of public transportation to take.
“For the sake of the commuters, I am committed to complete as soon as possible the report on the TNVS bill that is currently undergoing Technical Working [TWG] meetings,” said Poe.
The TWG meetings aim to thresh out and address all related issues concerning the operation of Uber, Grab and the like.
“This way, we may avoid the recurrence of a similar suspension affecting the TNVS community, which is rooted on the apparent inability of the LTFRB to adjust and adapt to new technology.”
Poe said that based on what happened, it seems that the LTFRB “flexes its discretion as a whimsical regulator just for the sake of imposing regulations.”
The LTFRB earlier said that it conducted due diligence and required the transport network company to submit proof that it has paid its drivers P299.24 million during the days its partner-drivers were not allowed to operate.