Following yet another complaint of harassment allegedly committed by an Uber driver, Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to expedite the review of its policies governing transport network companies.
Villafuerte said the LTFRB should treat this as an urgent concern following the complaint against an Uber driver who allegedly verbally harassing a 20-year-old woman who turned out to be the daughter of a government executive.
He was referring to the daughter of Environment Assistant Secretary Rommel Abesamis who complained that she had been verbally harassed by an Uber driver known only as “Juanito” during a recent ride in Quezon City.
Abesamis said his daughter complained to him that the driver kept asking her questions and “got too personal” during the ride.
“He also asked my daughter out on a movie [date] and told her that a beauty like her should make a lot of babies,” the official added.
Abesamis said he will ask the LTFRB to revoke Uber’s franchise if the transport network company does not cooperate.
Ariel Inton, a former LTFRB board member and founder of the group Lawyers for Commuters’ Safety and Protection, said the case involving Abesamis’ daughter was already the 10th complaint against an Uber driver.
“These, clearly, are not isolated cases because the complaints keep swelling. The LTFRB should not take these matters lightly,” Villafuerte said.
“Passengers booking cars from Grab and Uber should not have to worry about their safety and comfort, which is what these car-booking firms are supposed to be banking on to attract customers. The LTFRB should tighten their procedures in screening drivers of Grab and Uber even if it means slowing down the process of granting permits,” he added.
Earlier, Villafuerte said the LTRFB should come up with a formula that would put a cap on the “surge” or higher pricing scheme done by Uber and Grab during rainy days and peak hours to protect passengers from being “virtually scammed.”
He noted how even LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III had a relative of his complaining about being charged P1,000 for a ride from Bonifacio Global City to Quezon City during one rainy day.
“I understand that Uber and Grab resort to surge pricing during peak hours and rainy days to encourage more drivers to go on the road, but the increase should be reasonable and should not take advantage of the desperation of their passengers to get a ride at times when they need it the most,” Villafuerte said.