‘Make discounts available on ride-hailing apps’

MANILA, Philippines — Commuters are demanding that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) require ride-hailing apps to give out state-mandated discounts, such as those for senior citizens.

In a statement, the Coalition of Filipino Commuters (CFC) urged the LTFRB to ensure that ride-hailing services provide students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) with discounts as mandated by the law.

In particular, the CFC said the LTFRB needs to come up with a uniform way to implement the discounts to avoid confusion that could disadvantage passengers.

The CFC said that some ride-hailing platforms fail to offer the discounts, violating laws like the Student Fare Discount Act. The group said the discounts could be properly granted if the LTFRB develops a standard process for their issuance.

Without a uniform procedure, the CFC warned that it would be difficult for students, seniors and PWDs to access the relief. The group also said that a standard mechanism is necessary to prevent fraudulent claims, which hurt drivers’ earnings.

“As digital ride-hailing continues to gain traction in the Philippines, CFC emphasizes the urgent need for the LTFRB to scrutinize all ride-hailing platforms meticulously,” the CFC said.

“By spearheading the standardization of discount applications, the LTFRB will ensure equitable access to mandated discounts and uphold the rights of Filipino commuters,” it added.

In public utility vehicles like buses and jeepneys, it is mandated that operators provide 20-percent discounts to students, seniors and PWDs, as required by the law.

Recently, Senator Raffy Tulfo criticized ride-hailing leader Grab Philippines for requiring their drivers to shoulder the discounts for students, seniors and PWDs. He learned that Grab drivers were paying for the discounts since March, on top of submitting a commission rate of at least 20 percent.

With this, Tulfo estimates that Grab drivers take home just 60 percent of their earnings per booking. The LTFRB, in response, said Grab violated its franchise agreement that requires it to cover the discounts, not its drivers.

Moreover, Tulfo asked the LTFRB to review the case of public utility jeepneys, as he found out that drivers are also paying for the discounts instead of their operators.

Laban TNVS, a group of drivers for ride-hailing apps, is calling on Grab to reimburse its drivers who have paid for the discounts of students, seniors and PWDs.