Sen. Grace Poe said on Wednesday, Aug. 30, she remains committed to craft a final version of a bill seeking to provide a legal framework for transport network vehicle services (TNVS).
In an earlier Senate hearing, Poe said she will most likely propose a provision in the bill to limit the number of vehicles to two or three per owner-operator. A local representative of ride-hailing firm Grab admitted in the hearing that one operator has 70 units under his name.
Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said the resumption of operations of Uber will set in motion more choices for commuters after it settled the P190-million penalty that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had earlier imposed.
The regulator is conducting due diligence and requiring the transport network company to submit proof that it has paid its drivers P299.24 million during the days its partner-drivers were not allowed to operate.
“I am happy that the riding public would somehow be able to regain its power in deciding what mode of public transportation to take after Uber paid the hefty and mind-boggling fine that the LTFRB imposed against the company,” Poe said.
A technical working group meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31 to provide for a legal framework for TNVS or app-based transport companies.
“For the sake of the commuters, I am committed to complete as soon as possible the report on the TNVS bill that is currently undergoing TWG meetings. The TWG meetings aim to thresh out and address all related issues concerning the operation of Uber, Grab and the like,” Poe said.
“This way, we may avoid the recurrence of a similar suspension affecting the TNVS community, which is rooted on the apparent inability of the LTFRB to adjust and adapt to new technology. Based on what happened, it seems that it flexes its discretion as a whimsical regulator just for the sake of imposing regulations,” the senator added.
