Now, it’s lawmaker versus Grab drivers.
PBA Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles was put on the defensive after Grab drivers accused him of ignorance on the lawmaker’s claims of alleged overcharging and P2-per-minute “hidden” chages.
The confrontation between the drivers and Nograles was so heated, a driver was even kicked out of a hearing of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for heckling Nograles.
The driver, who was later identified as Vince Fernando, president of the Philippine Solid Grabbers, said Nograles has no idea what he is talking about.
“Hindi totoo ‘yan, wala kasi siyang alam. ‘Di niya naiintindihan ang sinasabi niya. Hindi niya nakikita ‘yung hirap ng mga driver,” Fernando told an online news portal.
Another driver, identified as Gohan Nuguid, said drivers were told of how Grab computed its fare although both drivers did not say if the explanation included the P2 travel charge.
Nuguid said they were surprised at Nograles’ claim of overcharging as they did not feel the benefits of such charges. “Wala kaming maramdaman na kumikita kami nang maganda,” he said.
The LTFRB called for the hearing to order Grab to explain the P2 travel charge or else it would lose its accreditation.
But in a separate interview, Nograles said he was only fighting for consumer rights and due process and insisted that he believes Grab overcharged commuters and bypassed the LTFRB in setting its fares, although Grab had repeatedly denied the charge.
“Ang paningin ko, ‘yung algorithm ang hindi nagde-determine dapat ng mga fare. Ang nagde-determine ng fare ay ‘yung LTFRB, at dapat i-programa ang algorithm depende sa approval ng LTFRB,” he said.
Grab Philippines officials said that the P2-per-minute charge was not hidden and had been part of their pricing structure since it was revamped in June 2017, saying that the charge was included in Grab’s fare hike petition in January this year.
But LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said that the time-based charge was not included in the petition.
“Ang lumalabas, ang pag-implement ng P2-per-minute nung June 2017, hindi po dumaan sa due process. Dumaan lang po sa Powerpoint presentation,” Nograles said.
Representatives of Grab Philippines present in the hearing also did not say the exact date when the travel time charge was implemented.
MyTaxi.Ph, operator of Grab Philippines, was asked to explain when they imposed the P2-per-minute charge, the fare algorithm, and how many rides were given with the charge when the hearing resumes on May 29.
Meanwhile, Nograles pushed for the passage of a bill regulating and setting clear the requirements, guidelines and standards for the operation of transportation network companies.
“Our experience with Grab today is helping us realize the need to pass the TNVS Law. As author of HB6009 I take particular interest in new insights on this matter. Police power is not even discussed in HB6009 and cap on commissions as well. Operator, Driver, and rider protection mechanisms too,” Nograles said, referring to the bill he filed in Congress that seeks to govern the operations of TNCs, as well as provide the LTFRB guidelines on how to deal with the TNCs so as not to sacrifice the riding public’s welfare.
Nograles’ bill, also known as the Transportation Network Service Act, seeks to institutionalize the TNCs as an alternative mode of public transport.
It also seeks to provide regulations for the operation of transportation network services “to ensure that the paramount interest of the public is protected and conserved, while encouraging free enterprise and economic development.”
“It is about time we pass a law regulating the TNCs because this is a concept that is completely new in the country’s transport sector and the general rules governing public conveyances is not fully applicable,” Nograles said.
Under the proposal, transportation network companies and drivers (TNDs) are declared as common carriers for purposes of determining the liability and degree of diligence that must be observed in the course of transportation network services, and the presumption of negligence in case of breach of contract of carriage shall likewise apply to them.
As a common carrier, the TNCs are required to secure a permit from the LTFRB upon compliance with the pertinent requirements and in turn, the TNCs shall be required to exercise the diligence of ensuring that all their so-called driver-partners would comply with all the requirements and obligations set by law.