DOTr’s TWG suspends Grab-Move It partnership

Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Steven C. Pastor (left) —EDWIN BACASMAS

MANILA, Philippines — The Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has suspended the partnership between Grab Philippines and Move It for the latter’s motorcycle taxi-hailing services, an official of the agency said Thursday.

“Nag-issue po ang TWG kung saan hinihinto po muna ang pag-implement ng partnership po ng Move It at Grab. Ito po ay subject to further study of the TWG and submission of proponents po ng mga kaukulang dokumento,” Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Steven Pastor said during a Senate finance committee’s hearing on the proposed budget of the department.

(The TWG issued an order suspending the partnership between Move It and Grab. This is subject to further study and the proponents’ submission of necessary documents.)

Pastor made this disclosure after Senate Grace Poe asked about the decision of the TWG on the said partnership, which allows Move It to offer its motorcycle taxi-hailing services to more passengers through the Grab platform.

In a statement, last week, Grab Philippines earlier noted that its partnership with Move It aims to “provide more Filipinos greater access to the motorcycle taxi services of Move It, in addition to the passengers that Move It riders can serve through the Move It app.”

“Through this landmark partnership, we are confident that many Filipinos will experience and enjoy its many benefits, and we are hopeful that the bike-hailing industry will continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic,” Move It president and CEO Francis Juan also said.

Grab, in a separate statement, has confirmed that the TWG has notified Move It to suspend the service effective Thursday. The company said they are engaging with government regulators and are looking forward to resume the partnership.

“Grab is committed to empowering local businesses, and our partnership with MOVE IT is consistent with our ongoing efforts to help everyday entrepreneurs thrive and succeed. The partnership will also enable Grab to offer MOVE IT’s safe, reliable, and affordable motorcycle taxi service to our consumers,” the company said.

“The pandemic has brought upon many challenges to the transport industry, and these challenges would require a whole-of-industry solution. As a community partner, Grab Philippines will continue to do right by our consumers and partners, encourage constructive dialogue using facts and objective information, and help contribute to the recovery of our transportation industry,” it added.

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