Camille Naredo

Grab signs in a mall in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Grab signs in a mall in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Grab Signs

Andrea Taguines

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173997991876320170917-grab-signs-MD-4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Grab signs in a mall in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File"/>Grab signs in a mall in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — A group of Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers appealed to regulators anew on Wednesday to make ride-hailing firms shoulder the full cost of the mandatory 20-percent discount for senior citizens, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), and students.“Ang mga driver/operator po, maliit lang ang kinikita nyan. Bakit kailangan pang ipapasan ang mga discount na ito?” said Laban TNVS President Jun De Leon during a rally outside the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) office in Quezon City.“Non-negotiable na po sa atin ang mandatory discounts. Dapat po, 100 percent, sagutin ito ng Transport Network Company (TNC),” he added.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2024/12/12/grab-drivers-ask-ltfrb-to-refund-grab-cuts-on-senior-pwd-discounts-1308">READ: Drivers ask LTFRB to refund Grab cuts on senior, PWD discounts</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/1/14/ltfrb-to-order-refund-of-pwd-senior-discounts-shouldered-by-drivers-as-new-rule-looms-1749" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">READ: LTFRB to order refund of PWD, senior discounts shouldered by drivers as new rule looms</a></div>LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz earlier said that based on Memorandum Circular 2015-016-A, TNCs should absorb these passenger discounts as part of the conditions of acquiring a franchise.But some TNCs continue to pass it on to their partner drivers, or at least split the cost with them in the case of dominant player Grab Philippines— on the basis of a different LTFRB memo issued in 2018 which states that public utility operators and drivers should grant the discount.In a previous interview with ABS-CBN News in December, Guadiz said that provision only applies to public utility jeepneys and buses.In an effort to clear up the confusion, he said the LTFRB would issue a new order that would also lay down standards on how these discounts should be applied so as not to inconvenience passengers from vulnerable groups.Up to now, though, the LTFRB has yet to issue any order.“The issue boils down to sino ang magkukuha or aako nung discount na yan, is it the TNC like Grab? Or is it the operator, yung may-ari ng sasakyan, or is it the driver?” said Guadiz during his latest press conference on Tuesday.Laban TNVS expressed frustration over this, saying the LTFRB is seemingly changing its initial stance.“Hindi ko alam kung bakit biglang nagbago ang ihip ng hangin sa sinasabi ni Chairman Guadiz… Ang sinasabi po nila ay pag-aaralan nila ito. Ano pa ba ang dapat pag-aralan? Maliwanag po sa Memorandum Circular, hindi na po dapat palitan,” insisted De Leon.New entrants in the four-wheeled ride-hailing market, Lalamove and Pure Ride, are also waiting for an LTFRB memo so they can ensure proper compliance.Lalamove, which launched Lalamove Ride in early February, told ABS-CBN News that, at least for now, it is shouldering majority of the passenger discount while implementing a lower commission rate for drivers.“In the absence of a memorandum circular, minabuti na po naming magtake ng initiative na majority share si Lalamove, 60% ng discounts are shouldered by Lalamove and then 40% are shouldered by the drivers,” said Lalamove Philippines Managing Director Djon Nacario.“But please take note, 2% commission lang yung ino-offer namin… At the end of the day, 98% nung fare yung maiuuwi ng ating partner drivers,” he added, saying the firm has one of, if not, the lowest commission rate in the industry.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/14/ltfrb-urged-to-standardize-special-discounts-in-ride-hailing-apps-1730">READ: LTFRB urged to standardize special discounts in ride-hailing apps</a></div>Nacario also said that should the LTFRB order them to absorb the full cost of the discount, Lalamove would also be prepared to comply.Meanwhile, Pure Ride, which began operations last February 14, is proposing a 50-50 share with drivers once its 10 percent commission rate takes effect.“Kunyari sa start we got 0 commission. Ibig sabihin, wala naman kaming nakuha, so the entire 20% would be on the driver which is fair enough. Now when we start getting 10%, dapat 10% lang din yung magiging cover namin (sa discount),” said Pure Ride Chief Operating Officer Edison Go Tan during the firm’s pre-launch media briefing in Makati last February 11.“Pero siyempre kung sasabihin ng LTFRB talagang icha-charge nila sa TNC, wala kaming magagawa,” assured Tan.

A group of Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers appealed to regulators anew on Wednesday to make ride-hailing firms shoulder the full cost of the mandatory 20-percent discount for senior citizens, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), and students.

A group of Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers appealed to regulators anew on Wednesday to make ride-hailing firms shoulder the full cost of the mandatory 20-percent discount for senior citizens, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), and students.

TNVS drivers call on LTFRB anew to enforce rule on mandatory discounts

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TNVS drivers call on LTFRB anew to enforce rule on mandatory discounts

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 20, 2025 12:07 AM PHT

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LTFRB

ride-hailing apps

PWD IDs

fare discounts

Laban TNVS

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