Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 17) — Drivers for suspended transport network company (TNC) Uber said on Thursday that they received e-mails from the company assuring them that they would be paid.
“Yung sa akin po ay medyo mababa lang kasi part-time lang po ako nakakalabas sa Uber,” Carlo told CNN Philippines. “Yung na-receive ko po sa e-mail, ₱100 po kada araw. Depende po ‘yun sa huling kinita ng Uber driver.”
[Translation: I got fairly low compensation because I’m a part-time Uber driver. The e-mail said I would get ₱100 a day. It would depend on how much the Uber driver earned before the suspension.]
“Naka-receive na rin po ako galing kay Uber,” Ryan told CNN Philippines. “Bale minessage ko po siya ngayon. Then ang sinend niya sa akin, wala po siyang amount na binigay kung magkano yung makukuha ko, as of now.”
[Translation: I also received an e-mail from Uber. I messaged them today. Then they sent me an e-mail, although they didn’t say, as of now, how much I would get.]
CNN Philippines is reaching out to Uber to comment on these reports, but the company has yet to respond.
The e-mails came after officials of Uber and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) met at the Senate on Aug. 16.
Read: LTFRB allows Uber to file second appeal
Senate Committee on Public Services chair Grace Poe, who organized the meeting, said the TNC offered to pay a hefty fine, as well pay their drivers.
“Ang offer ng Uber ay napaka-generous,“ she said. “Tinatanggap nila ang kanilang pagkakamali. Pangalawa, sinabi nila na yung mga hinihinging data ng LTFRB, ibibigay nila. Pangatlo, ang kumpensasyon na ibibigay nila sa drivers ay bibigay nila at magbabayad pa sila ng multa.”
[Translation: Uber’s offer is very generous. They accept that they were wrong. Second, they said that they will give the data that the LTFRB is asking for. Third, they will give compensation to drivers and pay a fine.]
Following the meeting, the LTFRB said Uber can file another appeal against the suspension order after the agency denied its first appeal on Aug. 15.
Read: LTFRB denies Uber appeal on one-month suspension
Disobeying an order
The LTFRB issued an Aug. 14 order suspending Uber for a month after the company allegedly violated the LTFRB’s July 26 directive to TNCs to stop accepting applications for accreditation of transport network vehicle services and their eventual approval or activation.
Read: LTFRB suspends Uber for 1 month
LTFRB Spokesperson Aileen Lizada told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom on Aug. 14 that while Grab followed this directive, Uber activated at least three vehicles right the next day, including one registered to the LTFRB.
“This is an open defiance of the order dated 26 July,” she said.
The suspension order requires the company to make its app inoperable, meaning passengers cannot book the vehicles using the Uber platform, even those with certificates of public convenience or a provisional authority.
The agency also called on Uber to help its drivers throughout the suspension.
“The Board strongly recommended to respondent Uber to extend financial assistance to its affected peer-operators during the period of suspension as an expression of good faith as their accredited peer-operators would not have suffered the current predicament were it not for the predatory actions of respondent Uber,” the LTFRB said.
This is a developing story. Please refresh the page for updates.
