LTFRB says it won’t bow down to Grab, Uber; tells TNCs to comply with law

Transport network companies (TNCs) Grab and Uber must comply with the law just as taxis, jeepneys, and buses do, the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said Thursday.

“Just attend to your cars. We just want you to comply,” Atty. Aileen Lizada, member of the LTFRB Board, said during a Senate public services committee hearing on proposals regulating TNCs and transportation network vehicle services (TNVS).

Lizada said both Grab and Uber should be reminded that the issuance of a franchise is an authority delegated by Congress to the LTFRB.

Both Grab and Uber have allowed its partner drivers to accept passengers even if most of them have no Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) franchise or provisional authority (PA) to operate.

“That is what we are saying here. We want you to comply with the law the way we want the taxis, jeepneys, buses to comply. We cannot bend so far to accommodate you,” she said.

“We will not allow as well that they be allowed to just accredit and kami ang—we will just bow down to what they want, no. We are a regulatory body. As long as we are here, we will definitely regulate based on terms and conditions,” Lizada said.

Last month, the LTFRB slapped both Grab and Uber with a P5-million fine each for various violations of terms and conditions of the Certification of TNC accreditation under Memorandum Circular Number 2015-016.

Lizada also said it is unfair that TNCs have given false hopes to their drivers by accrediting drivers despite the apprehension order on “colorum” vehicles.

“As they increase their numbers, their TNVS are hoping for a better income at ang tingin, kami ‘yung balakid,” she said.

Earlier, Uber Philippines Government Relations and Public Policy head Yves Gonzalez said there were 66,000 Uber cars which made a single trip in the past year.

Out of the 66,000, only 2,500 hold a provisional authority (PA) from the LTFRB and 1,000 have a pending application from an extension of the PA.

On the other hand, Grab Philippines country head Brian Cu disclosed there were 52,398 Grab cars, of which only 3,000 to 4,000 hold a PA.

Asked during the Senate hearing whether they are open to being required to get a franchise, Gonzalez said only their TNVS partners should do so.

“We agree that our TNVS partners would need to get a franchise but the TNC itself should not, because the TNC itself is not engaging in actual transportation of a person,” Gonzalez said.

Grab public affairs manager Leo Gonzales meanwhile said they are open to getting a franchise both as a TNC and for TNVS partners “if needed.” “We will abide,” Gonzales said. —KG, GMA News