Grab to suspend GrabCar services amid MECQ

Grab Philippines will temporarily suspend its GrabCar services starting Tuesday, August 4, but noted that is working to transition them to help serve the company's delivery fleet for the meantime.

In a statement on Monday, Grab said its GrabCar services in Metro Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal starting 12:00 midnight on August 4, in compliance with the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) to take place.

"In light of this announcement, Grab, along with its partners, will continue to support our communities - the driver-partners, merchants, frontliners, and most especially our kababayans staying at home," the statement read.

The company said it is also looking into the possibility of having driver-partners serve as shuttle fleet for medical frontliners, as well as the staff of its corporate and merchant partners.

In the same statement, Grab Philippines said it is working with institutional partners to extend payment holidays on loans of driver-partners. It will also create donation streams for communities impacted by the suspension of public transportation.

"For our customers and their families who are staying at home, Grabfood will offer free delivery during this period to ensure that they continue to have access to daily meal options for themselves and their loved ones," the statement read.

It noted, however, that the promotional prices are only applicable for purchases worth P550 and above. The codes will be UNLIFREEDEL until August 5, and ZERODELFEE from August 6 to 16.

Over the weekend, President Rodrigo Duterte said Metro Manila, Bulacan, and the Calabarzon areas would again be placed under the MECQ from August 4 to 18 following pleas of the healthcare sector for a "timeout" amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Frontliners earlier called on the government to reimpose stricter quarantine measures to give health workers a time to recuperate from exhaustion due to the non-stop admission of COVID-19 patients.

Duterte, however, called out healthcare workers and said they should have asked for an audience in airing their plea, instead of making public statements. -NB, GMA News