MANILA, Philippines — Ride-hailing app Grab Philippines is laying off 1,000 of its employees, prompting a lawmaker to question the alleged violations and congressional hearings that the company is evading.
“Our congressional committee is already looking into other possible violations Grab may have committed as a transport network vehicle service player, as well as in acquiring Move It, a motorcycle taxi fleet,” Rep. Rolando Valeriano said.
Grab had been fined by the Philippine Competition Commission for violating the rules of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, according to Valeriano.
He said complaints about Grab’s alleged price surging are also being verified.
“What is frustrating to us in Congress is the fact that Grab, in many ways, snubbed our efforts to clarify details or the reasons behind some of its actions under the cloak of it being a US publicly-listed company,” Valeriano said.
He said Grab representatives were reluctant to attend past congressional hearings.
“The company boasted of its commitment to provide livelihood to thousands of Filipinos, but announced a mass layoff after a few months,” he said.