In Metro Naga, hailing cab, trike now an app away

EXPANSION Grab expands to Bicol region, starting with operations in Naga City. RICHARD REYES

NAGA CITY — Hailing a cab and electric tricycle (e-trike) is now an app (mobile phone application) away as the taxi-booking firm, Grab Philippines, started its operation in Metro Naga, comprising nine towns of Camarines Sur province and this city, on Tuesday.

Carlo Cu Unjieng, Grab Philippines head of expansion, said the firm opened its services in Naga because of the city’s daytime population of about a million.

The service would also cover the towns of Pili, Canaman, Magarao, Calabanga, Ocampo, Milaor, San Fernando, Gainza and Pamplona.

Universities, BPOs

“There are five universities and BPO (business process outsourcing) centers have more than 5,000 employees,” he said.

Cu Unjieng said the initial Grab operation in Metro Naga involved 70 taxis and several e-trikes.

He said that for the P25-taxi booking fee, Grab would get P5, being the owner of the mobile phone application.

He did not give any figure on how much Grab would take from the minimum fare of P8 per head for the e-trikes, which could carry six passengers.

But Cu Unjieng said that in Pampanga province and Balanga City in Bataan province, earnings of GrabTrike drivers averaged between P1,000 and P2,000 a week.

Alec Francis Santos, head of the city’s Arts, Culture and Tourism Office, said the local government invited Grab to

operate in Naga after several complaints of overcharging by taxi drivers reached them. —Juan Escandor Jr.