Ride-hailing giant Grab Philippines is under fire for policies that suppress the rights of Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers following the deactivation threats against those expressing dissent or operating across multiple transport network companies (TNCs).
Rights vs. regulations
Laban TNVS, a coalition of TNVS operators and drivers in the Philippines, has reported incidents where Grab deactivated and banned riders, cyclists, and TNVS drivers from participating in protests.
However, Grab Philippines denied such allegations and stated that it respects everyone’s right to peacefully protest. This was challenged by Laban TNVS, which released a letter from Grab Philippines that contradicted its statement of respecting an individual’s constitutional rights.
The letter explicitly outlined an offense against a driver, stating:
“Drivers are prohibited from taking part in any illegal demonstrations against Grab, being a member of an unregistered association, incite other drivers not to use the Grab application, boycott or threaten to boycott the Grab application or any other acts that may be construed to be against the interest of Grab.”
The penalty for such violations, according to Grab, included permanent banning from the platform.
Labor group Defend Jobs Philippines (DJP) condemned these restrictions as they impose a potential discrimination and infringement on constitutional rights, particularly the right to free speech and labor organizing.
It is also stipulated under the Philippine labor law that private contracts must not violate constitutional rights.
Under Grab’s partnership model, TNVS drivers are classified as independent contractors rather than employees. As partners, TNVS drivers have the freedom to choose their working hours and are responsible for their vehicles and expenses.
But while Grab emphasizes the independence of its driver-partners, such policies they impose may infringe upon drivers’ constitutional rights.
A TNVS driver, who requested anonymity, shared that an increasing number of TNVS drivers have reported being deactivated from the Grab platform from participating in the recent protest held at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on February 17.
“Nakarating sa akin na lahat ng members niya, ide-deactivate sa Grab. Almost 200 plus iyon at ang nakarating na information sa akin ay madedeactivate sila dahil sumama sa rally sa LTFRB,” the driver said.
[I heard that all members of the group would be deactivated from Grab, almost 200 drivers. The information I received was that they were removed for joining the rally at LTFRB]
The driver also recalled facing a three-day suspension in 2019 from Grab after expressing his frustrations about the TNC.
In 2024, DJP and Laban TNVS released a position statement addressed to LTFRB to uphold the safeguarding the rights of riders and drivers within the transport network.
Choose Grab or get deactivated
One TNVS driver shared online his sentiments over incidents of suspension and deactivation from Grab Philippines after discovering that TNVS drivers were operating on multiple TNCs.
“Marami sa ating mga ka-Grab ang nadeactivate dahil sa paggamit ng ibang app. Ngayon pinatawag sila sa office at kinausap sila ron, pinamimili ba sila ron. Ito ba ay tama, kung Grab, inDrive. Parang may mali ron,” said Eric Acosta Atienza.
[Many of our fellow Grab drivers have been deactivated due to using other apps. Now, they were called to the office and made to choose between platforms: Grab or InDrive? Something just feels off]
According to TNVS drivers, this has been a practice to compensate for their meager earnings on daily trips.
In 2018, LTFRB referred to this practice as “dual citizenship,” where drivers operate under more than one TNC simultaneously.
Under LTFRB Memorandum Circular No 2015-018, drivers and operators must maintain good standing with their respective TNCs and any revocation of accreditation by a TNC could lead to the revocation of the operator’s Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC). However, this does not explicitly prohibit drivers from associating with multiple TNCs.
Given this trend, LTFRB issued Memorandum Circular No. 2018-003 that implemented a common supply base to set a nationwide cap on TNVS vehicles due to drivers’ increasing flexibility across multiple TNCs.
The following caps were set:
- Metro Manila (including MUCEP area): 45,000 TNVS units
- Metro Cebu: 500 TNVS units
- Pampanga: 200 TNVS units
The said memo focused on regulating the total number of TNVS units to ensure efficient and organized transport services. However, it does not contain any provisions that limit TNVS drivers from operating across different ride-hailing apps.
“Sarili nating sasakyan (ito), tayo ang nagbabayad sa amortisasyon, maintenance. Paano kung hindi na sapat ang kinikita kay Grab? Halos wala na tayong nauuwi. Magaabono ba si Grab? Magbibigay ba ang Grab ng maintenance, magandang incentive, pang-amortization? Paano kung hindi na sapat ang kinikita kasi napakatumal. Siguro dati maganda ang kita dahil isa o dalawa lang ang TNC, tapos pagbabawalan kami gumamit ng ibang app. Kasi sarili mong sasakyan iyan, karapatan mong mag-install kung ano man ang i-install mo kasi cellphone mo iyan,” Atienza furthered.
[This is our own vehicle, we pay for its amortization and maintenance. What happens when earnings from Grab are no longer enough? We barely take home anything. Will Grab subsidize our expenses? Provide maintenance support, better incentives, or cover amortization? The demand isn’t as strong anymore. Maybe back then, earnings were good when there were only one or two TNCs. But now, preventing us from using other apps? This is our vehicle, our phone, our right to install whatever apps we need]
Last year, the LTFRB reported that there were 19 accredited TNCs in the Philippines, with 14 newly accredited companies added.
“Siguro, minsan, baka ipatawag din ako kasi nagsasalita ako. Pero pinapaliwanag ko lang ang side namin. Kami kasi yung nasa lansangan, kami yung nakakaranas ng mga nangyayari sa lansangan, kung ano ang sitwasyon namin na halos wala nang kinikita yung mga driver. Tapos babawalan na gumamit ng ibang app, e parang may mali naman doon. Ako ay nagsasalita base sa karanasan ko at sa mga kasamahan namin na pinatawag, very unfair naman ito,” Atienza lamented.
[Maybe one day, they’ll call me in too for speaking out. But I’m just explaining our side. We are the ones on the road, experiencing the struggles firsthand, barely earning enough. And now, we’re being prohibited from using other apps? Something is really wrong. I speak based on my experiences and those of my fellow drivers who were summoned. This is very unfair]
Atienza, meanwhile, was called by Grab Philippines and urged to delete his Facebook Live about an incident he encountered at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. The video had already garnered over 2.5 million views before he took it down.
In the now-deleted video, an agent confronted Atienza asking: “Kanino ka papasok, InDrive o Grab? Irereport kita ha, may InDrive kang app.”
[Which platform are you working for, InDrive or Grab? I’ll report you since you have the InDrive app]
Atienza then responded, “Bakit?” [Why] To which the staff replied, “Oh, Grab ka lang dapat. Competitor ‘yan e.” [You should only be with Grab. That’s a competitor]
On February 22, released another video explaining why he removed the original post.
“Tayo naman, sumusunod naman tayo. Kapag sinabing i-delete, hindi naman tayo pwedeng makipagmatigasan. Iyan naman ay pakisuyo, kinontak tayo. At humihingi sila ng paumanhin sa nangyari sa akin,” said Atienza.
[We comply with requests. When they ask us to delete something, we can’t just insist on keeping it up. They reached out and requested it. They also apologized for what happened to me]
Manila Today also reached out to Atienza. He reiterated his stance, saying: “Wala naman po binanggit na dahilan (ang Grab). Nakiusap lang na i-take down… siguro baka makasira sa image ng Grab.”
[Grab didn’t give any specific reason. They just asked me to take it down… maybe because it could damage their image.]
International labor groups, including the International Alliance of App-Based Transport Workers (IAATW), advocate for TNVS drivers’ rights to operate across multiple platforms, emphasizing that flexibility and the right to multi-app driving are essential for fair working conditions.
In a 2020 manifesto, IAATW stated: “The protection of flexibility, including being able to work when we desire, the right to be able to work for multiple companies.”
DJP seconded and said that workers in the gig economy already face precarious conditions.
“Instead of restricting their choices, companies like Grab should uphold fairness and respect for drivers who keep their platform running,” DJP asserted.
Manila Today has reached out to the LTFRB to clarify whether there are existing policies or restrictions on TNVS drivers operating under multiple TNCs. To date, we have yet to receive a response.
