Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 1) — Transport Network Company Uber is once again summoned by land transport regulators to appear before a hearing on August 2.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has ordered the ride-hailing service to explain why they violated the agency’s order to stop accepting driver-operator applications.
However, Uber Philippines head Lawrence Cua said the company stopped activating drivers on July 19.
“We continue to educate partners and at least accept applications for now, but we do not activate as of the moment,” Cua said.
For the LTFRB, accepting applications even without activation is a violation of its July 26 order.
Cua explained they have to continually accept applications because there is a growing gap between driver supply and rider demand.
Cua said Uber has 30,000 active drivers, but their active users have reached a million for both Metro Manila and Cebu.
He added Uber is against the proposed eight working hours a day for Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers.
“About 60 percent of or drivers are working part time, about 6 hours a day. And many drivers actually don’t drivers don’t drive every week,” Cua said.
But another TNC, Grab Philippines, said it is open to the idea of limited working hours for their drivers but on a weekly basis.
TNVS drivers and operators have earlier said they are against a regulation setting working hours.
“As a part timer, hindi ako pabor doon sa limit na 8 hours kasi may regular work ako,” said TNVS operator Mark Balitaosan.
At a house hearing on July 25, Negros Oriental Representative Arnulfo Teves Jr. proposed to write a bill that will make LTFRB issue franchises to TNCs instead of every TNVS unit.
“Meaning instead of talking to all drivers, you just talk to one or the mother company or anything happening should be shouldered by the company,” Teves said.
In the current setup, LTFRB issues the Certificate of Public Convenience to each TNVS unit. Both Grab and Uber are open to considering this proposal.
