THE recent kerfuffle between the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and transport network companies such as Grab and Uber illustrates all too well what is wrong with government agencies and the bureaucrats that head them—regardless of who is in power. The row started when the government agency fined Grab and Uber millions of pesos for permit violations and announced it would go after thousands of unauthorized Grab and Uber units. Grab and Uber drivers shot back that a growing number of them operated without permits simply because the LTFRB suspended the issuance of provisional authority permits in July last year. There is a market-driven reason that Grab and Uber have become popular among commuters, who prefer a safe, convenient and comfortable ride with a pre-determined rate—without a sleazy driver angling for more money. In short, commuters are willing to pay more to ride in unregistered Grab and Uber vehicles, than put up with the odious experience of riding in a registered taxi.

Source: The Standard July 23, 2017 16:06 UTC