House Bill Protecting Delivery Service Companies and Riders Filed

Ako Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr.  has filed a House Bill which  aims to protect individuals engaged in food and grocery delivery services. House Bill 6958 or the proposed Food and Grocery Delivery Services Protection Act filed at the House of Representatives seeks to penalize individuals who pranks riders and delivery service companies as well as those who suddenly cancel their orders.

Under the proposed House Bill 6958, a customer should not cancel confirmed orders for the delivery of food and/or grocery items when they are already paid by the rider or the rider is on the way to their delivery addresses. Customers who make “prank” orders for food and/or grocery items for delivery will also be penalized. It also states that it is unlawful for a customer to “shame, demean, embarrass, or humiliate” delivery riders on any platform.

Orders may be cancelled when the delivery of the ordered food or grocery item is delayed for at least one hour from the expected time of arrival of the rider, except when the customer has been previously notified of the delay.

Those who will suddenly cancel orders may be penalized with prision mayor or six to 12 years imprisonment and a fine of P100,000 and he/she will reimburse the delivery service provider the amount paid by the rider in advance. He/she will also pay the provider double the amount of the cancelled order. Those who shame, demean, embarrass, or humiliate delivery riders can be jailed for six months to six years.

Food and grocery delivery service providers are mandated to reimburse their riders for all the amounts resulting in the cancelled orders within 24 hours from cancellation through bank deposit or other means of fund transfer. Violation of this provision will result in a penalty of P5,000 on the delivery service provider.

Customers are required to provide proof of identity and residential address or proof of billing upon signing up for a food delivery service through apps, websites and other similar platforms, verified through video call. Delivery services providers who fail to mandate its customers to provide proof of identification will pay a fine of P1 million per violation.

Recognizing the importance of delivery riders, Garbin aims to protect the “new heroes” who are at risk out there delivering food and essentials to the staying home public. “Nais ng panukalang ito na protektahan ang mga rider ng food at delivery services companies katulad ng Grab Food, Lalafood, at Food Panda mula sa mga prankster at mga tao na basta basta na lamang nagka-cancel ng kanilang order na ang resulta ay ang pagkasayang sa oras at pagkawala ng puhunan ng mga riders. Sa panahon ngayon, napakahalaga ng mga riders na nais nating proteksyonan. Sila ay masasabing mga bagong bayani sapagkat sila ay nakikipagsapalaran upang matulungan tayo na manatili sa tahanan at maiwasan ang COVID virus. Nais ng panukala na ito na maging hadlang sa pang-aabuso sa mga rider natin na nagbubuwis ng kanilang sarili upang tayo ay maaaring manatili sa ating mga bahay nang hindi makakuha ng sakit na COVID,” said Garbin.

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