Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday said he will push for an investigation into the sudden surge in fees imposed by Transportation Network Vehicle Services (TNVS), especially during the holiday season.

In disclosing his plans, Tulfo emphasized the need to protect both drivers and commuters. The surge fee is applied to the base fare during peak hours when only a limited number of drivers are available, in order to incentivize more drivers to get on the road.

Tulfo noted that the probe will cover ride-hailing companies, such as Grab Philippines.

“Maraming reklamo ang nakarating sa akin mula sa mga pasaherong gumagamit ng Grab na ayon sa kanila, kasama sa sinisingil na pasahe ng nasabing ride-hailing application ang napakalaking surge fee (I received many complaints from passengers who use Grab that, according to them, the fare charged by the said ride-hailing application includes a huge surge fee),” he said.

The senator’s office immediately coordinated with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). Tulfo asked the agency about their efforts to address the issue.

In response, the LTFRB said it has already conducted a series of hearings on the surge fee to assess complaints from some commuters.

The agency said a draft resolution is expected to be issued soon.

Included in the proposed resolution are the LTFRB’s findings and all possible sanctions for violators, especially those who failed to comply with the set fare rates for TNVS in Memorandum Circular No. 2019-036.

Violators could face monetary penalties, suspension, or even cancellation of their franchise in accordance with Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01.

Tulfo, who chairs the Committee on Public Services, said he will file a Senate Resolution, in aid of legislation, to thoroughly scrutinize and resolve commuters’ complaints against various TNVS in the country.