MANILA — A lawmaker called for a House inquiry into reports of alleged improper application of discounts for senior citizens and persons with disability by ride-hailing and food delivery applications, and “possibly suspend” their franchise if found that they violated the rules of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Senior Citizens Party List Representative Rodolfo “Ompong” Ordanes filed on Monday House Resolution 2134 seeking for the appropriate committee of the House of Representatives to investigate the alleged “unlawful transfer” of the cost of discounts by apps to their partner-drivers.

“The malicious practice of ride-hailing and food delivery applications run contrary to the spirit and intent of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 and the Magna Carta for the Persons with Disability,” Ordanes said in his resolution.

“The practice of ride-hailing applications to force its drivers to shoulder senior citizens and persons with disabilities discounts is in direct violation of their mandate under the LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2015-016, which expressly provides that Transport Network Companies should shoulder the burden of the said discounts,” he stressed.

“This conduct by ride-hailing and food delivery applications is utterly deplorable, as it constitutes criminal and exploitative behavior towards the nearly 10 million senior citizens and approximately 1.4 million persons with disability,” Ordanes noted.

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