For transparency, LTFRB orders Grab to amend its fare hike petition

The Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Tuesday ordered transport network vehicle service (TNVS) Grab Philippines to amend its fare hike petition for transparency and accuracy purposes.

“Given the observation of the board, your petition for fare hike, I would suggest that you’re going to amend your petition for the purpose of transparency and accuracy in what you really want,” LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said in a hearing.

According to Delgra, the details of the fare structure presented by Grab before the board of LTFRB was confusing and was not “well explained.”

“Let’s be transparent about this. Right now what we are seeing are the numbers. Let’s be clear about this,” Delgra said.

“It appears that the details of the fare structure that the petitioner (Grab) have proposed and stated for the fare hike is not well explained,” he said.

In January, Grab filed a four-page petition before the LTFRB seeking to increase its average fare by 5.73% or from P10 to P14 per kilometer charge to P11 to P15, aside from its base rate of P40.

The company said it needed to increase its rates due to the passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

READ: Grab asks LTFRB for 5% fare hike

Recently, the Philippine Competition Commission, criticizing Grab’s move to acquire its main competitor Uber, alleged that the decision resulted in higher fare rates and poorer quality of service. /vvp

READ: PCC cites Grab price hikes, ‘decreased’ service quality after Uber acquisition