LTFRB eyes standardized ride-hailing discounts

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will soon release a memorandum circular to standardize the implementation of special discounts for students, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and senior citizens across ride-hailing platforms operating in the Philippines.

LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III made the announcement during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services chaired by Senator Raffy Tulfo.

The move aims to address inconsistencies in the application of discounts due to conflicting previous memoranda.

Guadiz acknowledged that existing regulations have not clearly defined who should bear the cost of these discounts.

"We have to admit that there is currently no clear provision regarding the distribution of costs," said Guadiz. "This was an oversight on our part, and we apologize. We hope to rectify this by the end of the month."

The upcoming memorandum will designate Transport Network Companies (TNCs) and operators as primarily responsible for covering the costs of the special discounts, ensuring that drivers are not burdened with these expenses.

Meantime, Grab Philippines welcomed the LTFRB's initiative.

"Grab has consistently supported the commuting public and the government in ensuring that passengers receive these discounts properly," said Gio Tingson, Grab Philippines head of Public Affairs. "We extend our gratitude to the LTFRB and Senator Tulfo's office for finalizing the implementation of these special discounts with clear guidelines."

Ira Panganiban, chairman of the Coalition of Filipino Commuters, also expressed appreciation for the LTFRB's action.

"We thank Chair Guadiz for taking action to standardize the rollout of student, PWD, and senior citizen discounts across digital ride-hailing platforms," Panganiban said. "By standardizing the implementation, we ensure that the public receives the discounts mandated by law. This move will put an end to the inconsistent or non-existent application of discounts by some platforms. We also extend our thanks to TNCs like Grab, Angkas, and Joyride for respecting and implementing these discounts."