Davao riders' group asks DOLE to probe GrabFood delivery fare cuts
The United Davao Delivery Riders Association says some bookings now pay as little as P1 and suspects a P555.75-million fine on Grab's Move It unit is being passed on to riders.
A Davao City-based delivery riders' group has asked the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to investigate what it describes as a steep drop in GrabFood delivery fares, according to Mindanao Times.
In a statement released Monday, the United Davao Delivery Riders Association (UDDRA), led by Jeffrey Cuyos, said it suspects that the P555.75-million fine imposed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Grab Philippines' Move It unit has been shifted onto food delivery riders. The group added that fares were already very low even before the penalty was announced.
UDDRA said crowdsourced screenshots of rider earnings and booking records from Cebu, Iloilo and Davao show some bookings paying as little as P1.00 each, while other riders reported reductions of at least P6.00 per delivery. Cuyos said such amounts clearly do not fairly compensate riders for the time, distance, fuel and effort each delivery requires.
The group said its own monitoring in Davao City found that fuel, motorcycle maintenance, mobile data and other work-related costs eat up much of riders' actual income. It also said riders keep the platforms profitable yet are left out of decisions and were not consulted on company policies.
UDDRA argued that reducing pay without consultation runs against Article 100 of the Labor Code, which prohibits the elimination or diminution of benefits, and said any unilateral cut to regularly received pay should be examined.
The group asked DOLE to look into reported fare reductions on GrabFood and other platforms nationwide and their impact on riders' earnings. It also called on Grab Philippines to disclose how it computes delivery fares and to explain the basis for changes, including distance, waiting time, distance to the pick-up point and bundled deliveries. UDDRA urged meaningful consultation with riders and their organisations before changes affecting pay and working conditions are implemented.
The group renewed its call for a P80 base fare plus P20 per kilometre and for an end to what it called unfair bundled delivery schemes.
Why it matters for Davao
Lower delivery fares directly affect the take-home pay of Davao City's food delivery riders, who the group says already spend much of their income on fuel, maintenance and data.
This article was written by the DavaoNews desk with AI assistance, using reporting by Mindanao Times. Facts come from the original report, which we credit and link below. Our editorial policy
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