A network of digital advocates asked the government to look at the potential market control of Grab Philippines which has pending petition to participate in the motorcycle taxi pilot study.
Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo warned about the potential market control stemming from Grab’s affiliation with Move It.
Move It, an existing participant in the pilot study alongside Angkas and JoyRide, is a ride-hailing motorcycle taxi app owned by Grab.
“They may be able to control the market with their two companies which could lead to [the] possible monopoly of the industry, as we’ve seen with what Grab has been doing with other industries that they have been participating [in] now,” he said.
Grab Phiilipines, Taxi Philippines Inc., E Pick Me Up Inc., Easy Way Transport Service and Multipurpose Cooperative, Para Express Technology Services Inc. and Market Innovators Inc. applied to join the MC taxi pilot study.
Representatives of Grab Philippines were unavailable for comments as of press time.
The Department of Transportation-Technical Working Group earlier prohibited Grab and Move It’s partnership because this would allegedly make Grab a de facto fourth player in the government’s motorcycle taxi pilot program. The TWG stated that Grab could only enter the motorcycle taxi sector after a law was passed.
Land Transportation Office chief Vigor Mendoza earlier said the TWG was studying the applications of the other potential MC taxi players, including Grab Philippines.
The DOTr-TWG submitted last week a proposal to the House Transportation Committee to extend the pilot study in major cities outside Metro Manila.
It wants to expand the MC pilot study to Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, Iloilo, Bacolod, Pampanga, Davao, Zamboanga, Legazpi, General Santos, Pangasinan and Baguio.
The motorcycle taxi pilot study is confined to Metro Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.