Gatchalian warns Grab PH: Shape up or face suspension

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. (Photo from the Senate Facebook account)

Grab Philippine should shape up or face a Senate probe, or worse, possible suspension of operations, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian warned on Wednesday.

“Maraming reklamo at nakakadismaya yung pinapakita ng Grab dahil it boils down to transparency at hindi sila transparent dun sa mga sinisingil nila,” Gatchalian said at a weekly forum in the Senate.

(There had been numerous complaints and Grab is very dismaying because it all boils down to transparency and they are not that transparent with the rates they are charging the riders.)

“Dapat ang Grab, huwag nilang hintayin na sitahin sila. Napapansin ko kasi gagalaw lang sila kung nasita, magkokorek lang sila kung nahuli, hihingi ng apology pag nahuli pero kung walang umangal tuloy ang pang aabuso, which is not correct,” he said.

(Grab should not wait to be accosted. I noticed that they just do about something when they get noticed, they’ll just correct themselves if they are get caught, they’ll ask for apology if they are get caught but the abuse will continue if no one complains, which is not correct.)

The senator said Grab should not abuse their opportunity to operate for the riding public, especially now that it has a monopoly of the ride-hailing industry in the country.

Gatchalian also noted that it was only recently that Grab took over Uber’s operations but many commuters are already complaining about the reported increase of fares and the alleged refusal of some of its drivers to accept passengers.

READ: Grab: We don’t allow doubling of rates outside Metro Manila

“Dito natin makikita na nagkakaroon na ngayon ng monopolistic behavior, ibig sabihin, pang aabuso na itong nangyayari,” he said.

(We can see here that there is a monopolistic behavior happening, meaning, there is abuse happening here.)

“Thats why itong Grab eh ayusin rin nila yung kanilang operation at ipakita sa taumbayan na itong merger ay mas mabuti sa kanila. Kung hindi, nasa kapangyarihan din natin na imbestigahan sila and at the end kung talagang aabuso sila, pwedeng ihinto na yung kanilang operation at bigyan ng pahintulot yung iba na pumasok kaagad,” said the senator.

(Grab should fine-tune their operations and show to our countrymen that the merger will benefit the public. If not, we have the authority to put them under investigation and at the end if they will continue this type of abuse, their operation can be stopped and allow the entry of new competitors.)

But as of now, Gatchalian said he saw no basis yet to stop Grab’s operations.

If proven however, that Grab is abusing its “monopoly status,” then he said the government can order to stop its operations.  /jpv