A commuter books a ride via ride-hailing app Grab in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
Grab Philippines found itself embroiled in many controversies this year, ranging from legal issues to technical glitches.
Here’s a list of the ridesharing company’s controversial issues:
Critically hurt passenger
Grab has incurred fresh ire after a passenger, Marko de Guzman, 20, sustained serious injuries.
De Guzman is in critical condition after an accident in a Grab ride, causing him to sustain “severe traumatic brain injury.”
A viral Facebook post from Marko’s cousin, Steffi de Guzman, said Marko and his friend, Alia booked a Grab car last Oct. 26 along Taft Avenue, Manila. She said the Grab ride was allegedly running too fast and was driven by a sleepy Grab driver.
She then said the Grab car collided into another car before crashing into a Light Rail Transit (LRT) post. Marko, then sustained a fractured skull after the incident.
With the incident, Grab said they are constantly communicating and offering financial assistance to Marko’s family. An investigation was also launched as both drivers affected were facing “court arraignment.”
READ: Grab says it is ‘continuously reaching out’ to support critically hurt rider
‘System downtime’
The ride-hailing company also faced technical issues such as the recent glitch on its computation of fares.
Last Oct. 25, its application experienced a glitch, making the fares decrease to a minimum on all services regardless of the overall distance of the trip.
GrabCar and GrabShare fares were at P80 pesos while its six-seater services were at P120.
READ: Grab PH experiencing ‘system downtime,’ fare computation affected
Grab’s system has resumed its normal operations but the company said it will continue to investigate on the cause of the glitch.
READ: Grab PH probes cause of ‘system downtime’ glitch
LTFRB penalty
This year, the company also received a P10-million penalty as imposed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for overcharging its customers.
The LTFRB revealed in a document that Grab must reimburse its passengers for the P2-per-minute travel charge through rebates.
READ: LTFRB orders Grab to pay P10M for overcharging customers
Grab then, filed a motion for reconsideration to reverse the LTFRB decision, claiming the decision was “contrary to law” as Grab followed the Department of Transportation Order (DO) 2015, which allows ride-hailing firms to set their own fares.
However, after Grab changed their fare structure, a DO was released, DO 17, which states that transport network companies should have “pre-arranged fare as per the LTFRB.”
Grab explained that the LTFRB failed to establish that DO 2015 “has been impliedly repealed by any subsequent issuances of DOTr.”
READ: Grab appeals P10-M fine for overcharging customers
P12-million fine vs Grab merger violations
Aside from the LTFRB, the country’s anti-trust body, Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), also fined Grab in its merger with Uber for causing “undue difficulties” that prejudiced the review process of their controversial takeover deal.
Last October, PCC imposed a P12-million fine against Grab after violating pre-merger conditions such as pricing policies, rider promotions, driver incentives and service quality. Uber was also fined P4 million for the same set of violations.
READ: Gov’t fines Grab, Uber P16M for ‘causing undue difficulties’ on merger review
Grab then, argued that they complied with the conditions, saying it will file an appeal before the PCC to reconsider the decision.
READ: Grab to appeal PCC’s P12M penalty over merger violations
‘Doubling rates’
Another controversy hounding the company was a message from a Grab partner-driver that asked a passenger double his fare.
Automative journalist James Deakin shared on Facebook that he received a message from Grab, saying they authorized a “x2 fare” for rides reaching outside of Metro Manila.
Grab denied the allegation, saying the message was not endorsed by its company.
Grab Country Head Brian Cu said: “No that’s false. The message is not endorsed by Grab, it was probably crafted by a partner driver and shared among other drivers.”
READ: Grab: We don’t allow doubling of rates outside Metro Manila
‘Unjustified booking cancellations’
Last April, Grab Philippines punished nearly 500 drivers after an internal investigation on complaints that drivers inexcusably cancel passengers’ ride bookings.
Grab said only 5 percent cancellation rate was allowed. But for those with 10 percent and above cancellation rate per week may subject to penalties such as suspension and removal from Grab. /jpv
READ: Grab punishes almost 500 drivers over unjustified booking cancellations