Why put your drivers at risk?

The saga of the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Vs. ride-sharing app Uber has reached fever pitch today, as the former has issued a 1 month suspension order agains the latter, preventing Uber’s drivers from taking to the streets and earning a living. I should say prevented, because as of 12:00 PM today Uber has turned on their platform again, allowing passengers to book rides after the company filed a motion for reconsideration.

BREAKING: Uber files a Motion for Reconsideration to appeal LTFRB’s order of suspension https://t.co/r2GCG83cIK | @makoipopioco pic.twitter.com/AjMmbMGIfa

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) August 15, 2017

Obviously the LTFRB is livid, and has gone on record to say that the suspension order stays despite the MR. They’ve instructed the PNP’s Highway Patrol Group, the MMDA, as well as LTO and LTFRB enforces to catch Uber drivers that take to the streets while that suspension order is active.

Now while I’ve been pro-Uber ever since the company came to the Philippines, right now I feel that the company is wasting the massive amount of goodwill that’s being thrown their way by the riding public by endangering their drivers in their open defiance to the suspension order. It’s pretty damn irresponsible for the top management at Uber Philippines to turn on their app and endanger their drivers this way, especially with their blood feud with the LTFRB.

I think the better course of action would have been to take the suspension from the LTFRB, filing for an MR and a TRO, as well as asking lawmakers to intervene without turning on the app first. What they shouldn’t have done is turn their service back on knowing that the LTFRB is out for their blood, putting their drivers in danger. You better believe the people behind that government agency are foaming at the mouth at the chance to catch an Uber driver defying the suspension order to make an example of. If the LTFRB catches an unwitting Uber driver while they’re suspended, do you think Uber will shoulder the Php 120,000 fine that will be levied against them? Will they provide a vehicle for 3 months while theirs is impounded?

And as far as the grounds for the suspension is concerned, the LTFRB has a point here, kind of. They were suspended because they, surprise surprise, defied the LTFRB’s order to stop accepting new drivers into its transportation network back in July 26. And sure, those drivers may not have been activated, but the mere act of accepting those applications while there was an active order to halt that very action was all on Uber. Your company is already under the microscope, why risk it? It’s also important to note here that Grab complied with the order immediately.

Look, I absolutely loathe the LTFRB as much as the next person. My family had a UV Express vehicle that my father used to drive so I have firsthand knowledge how inept, corrupt and inefficient that government agency is. In my opinion the corruption in that agency is worse than customs, since it deals with buses and jeeps that regularly kill people on the streets. BUT the law is the law, and we need to follow the law and seek legal remedies to it instead of breaking it.