Courier complaints plunge 88% amid gov't digital overhaul

Complaints against private courier companies dropped nearly 88 percent in the first six months of the year after the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) rolled out new digital monitoring and licensing systems, easing regulatory compliance for delivery firms while improving consumer complaint resolution.

The latest DICT data showed that complaints involving Private Express and/or Messengerial Delivery Service (PEMEDES) providers declined to 151 as of 23 June, down from 1,210 in January, following the launch of Oplan Bantay Padala and the PEMEDES Licensing Portal.

“Because of our digitization efforts, we make it easy for our couriers to comply with legal requirements. 

This, in turn, enhances the trust of the people in the industry as we promote a reliable and effective ecosystem: a regulatory mechanism that's both pro-rider and pro-consumer,” DICT Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Atty. Faye M. Condez-de Sagon said on Thursday.

The government introduced the initiatives at the start of the year to centralize complaint handling, rider registration, and compliance monitoring across the courier industry.

Complaints fell from 1,210 in January to 692 in February, 350 in March, 182 in April, 167 in May, and 151 as of early this week, which the agency attributed to stronger regulatory oversight, improved transparency, and greater accountability among courier operators.

Building on these gains, the DICT on 23 June launched Phase 2 of the PEMEDES Licensing Portal, introducing digital identity verification, greater automation, and enhanced monitoring of riders and operators.

The agency said the upgraded platform is expected to help sustain the decline in complaints while further strengthening oversight of the country's delivery industry.