Uber, Grab drivers should pay equal fees as PUVs, says Villanueva

Senator Joel Villanueva agreed with Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade’s proposal that the government be given a share from the income of ride-hailing companies.

“We have to ensure na lahat ay pantay-pantay ng karapatan,” Villanueva said in an interview at the Senate on Thursday.

The senator pointed out that it is unfair for public utility vehicles to pay up to P250,000 for a franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) while Grab and Uber drivers can easily get permits to travel across the country.

“Hindi lang karapatan ng drivers ng Uber at taxi o [pasahero] ang dapat nating pag-usapan, ‘yung karapatan din ni Juan dela Cruz, yung share din ni Juan dela Cruz when it comes to taxes,” Villanueva said.

Villanueva recently filed Senate Resolution No. 431, which seeks to inquire and review the process followed by the LTFRB in granting franchises to Uber, Grab and other ride-hailing firms.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Tugade said there should be a mechanism that would require transport network companies to contribute to the government.

“Kailangan diyan may share din diyan ‘yung gobyerno ‘yung kinikita doon. Kung kailangan may mekanismo at tsaka pamamaraan niyan na ‘yung plate na binabayaran o ‘yung kita na inaambag, eh ibahagi niyo naman sa gobyerno,” Tugade.

“Just because you are a transport network company, hindi ka na magrerehistro? Hindi naman yata tama ‘yan,” he said.

But Villanueva said the government should remain open to the entry of transport network vehicle services while it could not provide the citizens convenient modes of transportation.

“Pumasok ang makabagong pamamaraan ng transportation gaya ng Grab at Uber tapos pipigilin natin so ano ba talaga? It’s striking a balance and ensuring that we’ll upgrade our laws and policies on this,” he said.