PINUNO BILL SEEKS TO PROTECT RIDERS/DRIVERS ENGAGED IN FOOD, GROCERY AND PHARMACY DELIVERY SERVICES

Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid has filed a bill which seeks to protect delivery riders and drivers against unjustified cancellation of orders or "no show" customers. These fraudulent acts result in a waste of time, effort, and money on the part of the delivery riders or drivers. What aggravates the situation is that some of these canceling customers cannot be traced and be held accountable for collection as they use fake names, contact numbers, and/or addresses.

"Sa higit dalawang taon nating pagharap sa pandemya lalo sa gitna ng mga lockdown, marami sa atin ang umasa sa mga delivery riders para maihatid sa atin ang pagkain, grocery at iba pang pangangailangan natin dahil bawal o takot tayo lumabas. Sa gitna ng matinding panganib na sinusuong ng mga delivery riders, tuloy pa rin sila sa trabaho para maihatid ang serbisyo sa publiko at para kumita para sa kani-kanilang mga pamilya. Batid ko ang hirap ng mga delivery riders kaya sa pamamagitan ng panukalang batas na ito, isinusulong ko ang proteksyon para sa kanila para hindi sila malugi o maagrabyado sa kanilang trabaho," Lapid explained.

This proposed measure aims to ascertain whether the rights of the delivery riders or drivers are respected and whether the obligations imposed to food, grocery and pharmacy delivery service providers are fulfilled.

This bill prohibits any food, grocery and pharmacy delivery service providers to require delivery riders or drivers to advance any monetary amount for the fulfillment of orders,. In case/s of cancellation of confirmed orders, the service provider shall pay the delivery riders or drivers for the service fee due them as if the transaction was successful. In turn, it shall be the duty of service providers to pursue claims for collection from its cancelling customers.

This bill also includes that any investigation or inquiry conducted by the service providers on the propriety or validity of the cancellation shall not affect the right of the riders/drivers to collect their respective service fee as provided under this section.

Any food, grocery, and pharmacy delivery service provider who shall be found to be in violation of the prohibition on requiring monetary advances from delivery riders or drivers shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalty of arresto mayor and/or fine of an amount not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) and the licenses and permits of said violators shall be revoked.

"Sa aking isinusulong na na panukala, hindi lang ang mga service providers ang may pananagutan sa mga cancelled order kung hindi pati ang mga customer. Bilang mga customer, dapat din tayong maging responsable at sigurado sa mga order natin para hindi nasasayang ang pagod at puhunan ng ating mga delivery riders. Batid kong marami naman sa atin ang mga responsableng customers pero ang panukalang ito ay bilang proteksyon sa mga customers na nanloloko o sadyang nang-iisa lamang sa mga delivery riders/drivers," Lapid added.