Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid has filed a bill that 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,’’ he said.
Lapid stressed that his Senate Bill (SB) 38 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,’’ he explained.
‘’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,’’ he added.
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 P100,000. The licenses and permits of said violators shall be revoked.
The service providers shall also require its customers, prior to the registration with their mobile phone applications, Internet websites or other similar platforms, to submit a valid proof of identity and residential address.
This measure also lists down the following prohibited acts for customers:
A. Using another person’s personal information
B. Cancellation of confirmed orders (unless such option is specifically allowed by the food, grocery and pharmacy service hired)
C. Placing of hoax order
D. Refusal to receive unpaid order.
The proposed law states that any person who shall commit any of the prohibited acts as provided for in this section shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalty of arresto mayor and/or fine of an amount not exceeding P100,000 without prejudice to any other available remedies under existing laws.