Lawmaker calls on Grab to support drivers’ car loan struggle

A LAWMAKER has called on the management of Grab Philippines to make proper representations with car dealerships and auto-loan companies to forego amortization collection during the months covered by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and suspend all foreclosures for their partnerdrivers.

“Nakikiusap po ako sa Grab na bigyan ng kalinga itong kanilang mga driverpartners. Marami sa kanila ngayon ang problemado na maaaring mabawi ang kanilang mga sasakyan dahil hindi nila ma-update ang payment sa kanilang mga loans. Kung maaari ay makipagusap ang Grab sa ating mga bangko at sa mga car dealers para matigil muna pansamantala ang kanilang paniningil at huwag munang ilitin ang mga sasakyan kapag hindi sila nakapagbayad,” Puwersa ng Bayang Atleta (PBA) Rep. Jericho Jonas B. Nograles said in a statement Sunday.

The lawmaker said that many of Grab's 60,000 or more driver-partners are still paying monthly amortizations and their sole source of income is by being a transport network vehicle service (TNVS) provider.

As such, Mr. Nograles recommended that Grab could offer to pay in advance or underwrite the unpaid loans of the driver-partners who are now left without any livelihood because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Apart from making representations to ensure that their vehicles are not repossessed, Mr. Nograles added that Grab should also extend financial assistance with zero interest to their driverand partners to ensure that that they can get by during the duration of the ECQ.

“It is just right that Grab should share the risk of their driver-partners. Itinaya nila ang kanilang life-savings upang maging Grab drivers kaya sana naman tumaya rin ang Grab para sa kanila. Napakarami sa kanila ngayon ang nanganganib na tuluyan nang mawawalan ng kabuhayan dahil maaaring bawiin ng mga bangko ang kanilang mga ipinanghahanapbuhay na mga sasakyan,” he said.

The lawmaker noted that saving their driver-partners from foreclosures would be a “wise business decision” as this would ensure that Grab will continue to have enough TNVS operators when the ECQ is lifted and the COVID -19 crisis is over.

"Grab is making tons of money because of the commission that they get from their driver-partners. Therefore it is to their best interest if they can ensure that all their driver-partners will still have their vehicles after this crisis is over," Mr. Nograles said. —