Uber, Grab drivers seen to go on strike Tuesday

Drivers of transport network vehicle services are expected to go on strike starting Tuesday, the president of TNVS drivers has said.

Ivan Kloud, president of the Philippine Transport Network Organization, said many Uber and Grab drivers have expressed support for the strike call posted by a member on PTNO's closed group.

"One of our members ipinost yang tigil pasada... Na-caught yung attention namin at maraming members ang gustong sumali," Kloud told GMA News' Jessica Soho on Monday in an interview on State of the Nation.

"Madami-dami po ma'am, e. Hindi ko po masasabi. Kung sa libo po, mukhang libo po ang sasali dito," Kloud said when asked how many drivers of Uber and Grab are expected to join the strike.

Kloud said PTNO was not endorsing the strike but added that its members had been called to a general meeting on January 6.

"Wag po tayo magtigil pasada. Kawawa naman po yung mga riders na mangangailangan ng serbisyo natin," Kloud said.

For the commuters, he said, "Pinupush ko po na wala pong magtitigil pasada."

"I'm sure may mga kasamahan po tayo na bi-biyahe pa rin. Wag po silang mag-alala, may mga sasakyan pa rin po sa daan," Kloud said.

Kloud said many members are hurt by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board's decision to put a "times-two" cap on the price surges of Uber and Grab when drivers are booked by passengers during hours of high demand.

The LTFRB had implemented the cap after reports of steep surges.

"Hindi po tama yun ma'am. Kasi unang una po, nagkakaroon po ng surge tayo, sample po, kung nasa Makati yung pasahero e nasa Mandaluyong naman yung driver, nagkakaroon siya ng surge  kasi pupuntahan pa niya pa po yung pasahero coming from Mandaluyong," Kloud said.

Kloud said one of the cases of exorbitant surge pricing—a P28,000 fare—involved a booking in Metro Manila but had an area in Mindanao as the destination.

He encouraged Uber and Grab drivers to attend the January 6 meeting to iron out the needs of their sector, and bring their issues to the authorities.

Kloud said that TNVS drivers are kept out of the LTFRB's meetings with transport network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Grab.

He said PTNO has already written the LTFRB about the drivers' issues, including the need to be represented in LTFRB meetings.

With the report of the strike, Uber said in a statement that it had "invested significantly in driver promotions and periodic text blasts to encourage drivers to go online, amidst the current surge cap."

Uber admitted that many of its driver took the time off online and on the road last week.

"Spending time with family is an important part of the Christmas season. Many of our driver partners reduced their time online over the past week because they wanted to spend time with their families and loved ones," Uber said.

For its part, Grab said that it was discouraging its driver-partners from taking part in any strike.

It also assured commuters that there would be enough vehicles to be booked. —NB, GMA News