Uber Philippines Users Are ANGRY At The One-Month Suspension
UPDATE: 11:27 a.m., August 15
Uber Philippines has filed a motion for reconsideration with the LTFRB. Posting on their official Facebook page, Uber Philippines says, "In response to overwhelming rider and driver demand, we have filed a motion for reconsideration with the LTFRB. This means that Uber's operations will continue until the motion is resolved. Consequently, we will be resuming serving Metro Manila and Cebu."
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At around 6 p.m. on Monday, August 14, transport network company (TNC) Uber Philippines received an order from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to "completely stop operations" for one month.
In the suspension order, the LTFRB recommended that Uber "extend financial assistance" to affected peer-operators during the one-month suspension "as an expression of good faith." The LTFRB noted that the operators "would not have suffered the current predicament were it not for the predatory actions of respondent user."
At 6 a.m. on Tuesday, August 15, Uber Philippines also issued its own announcement regarding the monthlong suspension.
We are temporarily suspending operations starting at 6AM today. Rest assured that we are doing everything we can to resolve the situation. pic.twitter.com/Zh3OsQRpw8— Uber Philippines (@Uber_PH) August 14, 2017
Many people were taken by surprise by the suspension and were understandably upset. They weren't expecting it, as the LTFRB already imposed a P5-million fine on Uber last month. Uber's fellow TNC, Grab Philippines, was also fined the same amount.
Uber users expressed their dismay and anger over this recent development on Twitter.
i would normally pay P190 to get to work with @Uber_PH today i’m paying grab P346 for the same service. that’s a really smart move @LTFRB— joey campillo (@joeycampillo) August 15, 2017
I thought mababawasan ang traffic dahil suspended ang uber. Mas traffic nga today. Mas mahal pa pamasahe dahil walang choice kundi maggrab.— Miss B (@_beacortez_) August 15, 2017
s lahat ng mappwersyo ng @ltfrb pki tweet sa kanila lhat ng plaka ng taxi n mngccontrata at ttangi tgnan ntn kng ano action nla! #ltfrbBulok— RommeL (@zoul1380) August 15, 2017
Took @grabph today because @LTFRB suspended @Uber_PH. Cost me twice as much as what I usually pay for uber. #uberph #LTFRB #grabph— Ian Nicole Francisco (@attyiannicolef) August 15, 2017
Trying to get to the airport I find out that this morning Uber was suspended by the Philippine Government. #wtf #uber #philippines pic.twitter.com/Eeyu7k1HuO— Elijah Blanton (@EliTheGeek1) August 15, 2017
Let me guess. Those people who decided to suspend @Uber_PH doesn't have to ride snob taxis/old jeeps/faulty trains everyday.— Jb Alfaro (@imjbalfaro) August 15, 2017
@LTFRB It usually only costs me P350-500 to get from QC to BGC using @Uber_PH. Now look at this. And you wonder why the public hates you. pic.twitter.com/iJYvJcwMAx— Nina Dionisio (@njdionisio) August 15, 2017
It must have been love,but it's UBER nowit was all that I wanted, now I'm living without. Miss you, @Uber_PH.— Jantzen Tan (@jaaantzen) August 15, 2017
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN News reports that Senator Grace Poe, who heads the Senate Committee on Public Services, is set to call LTFRB officials for an "urgent meeting" after the agency suspended Uber operations.
Poe was quoted as saying, "I am aghast that this agency that committed before the Senate to resolve the issues has just imposed a cure that will only make the disease much worse." She also referred to the Uber suspension as "cruel and absurd."