OPPOSITION lawmakers filed a House resolution calling for an investigation on ride-hailing company Grab Philippines’ inability to pay back customers for overpriced rides.
Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas led the filing of House Resolution No. 680, which seeks to investigate why the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) “remain remiss in pushing the transport network company to issue refunds for overpricing commuters.”
“It’s been years and Grab Philippines has not granted the refund order, why is the PCC and LTFRB still passive? The agencies should reiterate their regulatory functions and impose their respective fines,” Ms. Brosas said in a statement.
The resolution was co-authored by Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France L. Castro and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Danniel A. Manuel.
The PCC on Feb. 27 said that Grab still owes customers up to P6 million in total refunds, citing a 2019 case when Grab was ordered to reimburse rides of about P25 million for overpricing its transport services.
Ms. Brosas also called on Grab to settle the dues, saying, “Grab Philippines has been using all sorts of alibi to evade compliance to the PCC order, including the supposed lack of GrabPay wallet of its customers.”
Grab recently said that it is “fully committed to complying with its undertakings and commitments with the PCC.” — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz