Ejercito: LTFRB, Uber and Grab all have fault

Public Services Committee Chair Sen. Grace Poe and Vice Chairman Sen. JV Ejercito with LTFRB officials and Grab and Uber representatives after a meeting at the Senate on Wednesday to resolve the transportation issue. PHOTO from Senator Grace Poe’s office

The riding public should not fault the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) alone for the impending ban on ride-hailing companies like Uber and Grab, Senator JV Ejercito said on Thursday.

“LTFRB and TNVS (transport network vehicle services) both have faults which caused this brouhaha. LTFRB should have approved or rejected applications faster,” Ejercito said over Twitter.

“TNVS on the other hand shouldn’t have allowed units which have no papers at all into their system,” he said.

Ejercito and Senator Grace Poe met with the LTFRB and transport network companies in a dialogue on Wednesday.

Poe and Ejercito are the chair and vice chair of the Senate committee on public services, respectively.

In a closed-door meeting, the heads of the LTFRB, Grab and Uber agreed to a compromise: Uber and Grab drivers can operate while an appeal against a ban is being heard.

“We cannot fault LTFRB entirely. It is just doing its job as a regulatory body. Their concern on accountability of TNVS is legitimate,” Ejercito said.

The senator earlier chided the LTFRB for cracking down on Grab and Uber, which he said “offer far better and more convenient services than regular taxis.”

Instead of banning TNVS, Ejercito said the LTFRB should take action first on the complaints against the taxi drivers.

“Kung ganito kayo kaingay at kadesididong patawan ng service ban ang Grab at Uber, dapat ganito rin ang aksyon ninyo sa mga reklamo sa regular taxis!” he said.

But the senator later pointed out that Grab and Uber also need to address issues regarding its ride-hailing concept and dynamic pricing.

“Concept of Uber and Grab supposedly for private car owners to own a little on their free time through ride sharing. Supposed to be part time,” he said.

Ejercito noted that some enterprising people have acquired fleets of cars being used as TNVS.

“This is not the concept of Uber and Grab the way I understand it,” he said.

He said having a fleet of cars functioning as TNVS is “unfair to the “legitimate” regular taxis who have franchise.”

Nonetheless, Ejercito said “this Uber and Grab vs. LTFRB issue should serve as a wakeup call to regular taxi operators and drivers to improve their services.”

The senator said he hoped to work out a compromise through legislation by regulating and defining the operations and functions of the TNVS.

“Convenience of the riding public will be the prime consideration as government provides and improves services,” he said.

Poe also filed Senate Bill No. 1501 or Transportation Network Services Act seeking to institutionalize and regulate ride-hailing services. CBB/rga