Solon urges LTFRB to order refund of P2-per-minute charge from Grab

The Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) should order the refund of the P2-per-minute charge by Grab Philippines, a party-list lawmaker urged on Thursday.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles issued the call after the Board ordered the immediate suspension of Grab’s P2 per minute charge, a component of the transport network company’s fare structure since July 2017. 

READ: LTFRB orders Grab to immediately stop P2 per minute of travel charge

It was Nograles who alleged that Grab owes its customers some P3.2 billion for “illegally and hideously” implementing the P2 per minute charge.

“We thank the LTFRB for the suspension of the P2/minute charges that were clearly not approved by the Board and were kept secret from the operators, drivers, and riders,” he said in a statement.

“I hope that refund for these hidden charges will be ordered soon, as well and that the drivers are spared from paying his refund as they played no part in reprogramming the Grab algorithm to include these secret charges,” he added.

Nograles also warned Grab against passing the refund responsibility to its drivers.

“The moment that Grab tries to demand the refund from their drivers, I will be the first to file a complaint of large scale estafa and syndicated estafa against Grab Philippines,” he said.

The TNC said that “80 percent” of the P2-per-minute charge went to their drivers, while the rest was spent on driver incentives and passenger promos.

Grab earlier admitted they “unilaterally” implemented the charge, and even claimed that the scheme was allowed under the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board’s Department Order (DO) 2015-011.

The DO allowed TNCs to set its own fares but with the oversight of the LTFRB.

Grab also said their per minute charges “remain part and parcel to Grab’s fare structure today and we have continuously been transparent about this truth.”

LTFRB’s resolution came after Chair Martin Delgra III told reporters that in one of their technical working group meetings last year, there were “discussions” about Grab’s plan to collect a P2-per-minute charge, though without information when it was implemented.

READ: LTFRB claims Grab’s P2/minute extra charge is unauthorized

On Wednesday, Grab Country Head Brian Cu said there were no communications made through their application to inform the riders of the charge when they started to implement it. /je

READ: Grab PH admits failure to inform riders of P2-per-minute charge