Tom not in favor of Uber’s suspension

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is not in favor of the recent decision of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to suspend the operations of Uber, saying that the transport network company provides “very good” service.

“I don’t know the reasons why but Uber is doing very good service, so is Grab. It’s much more sophisticated than the taxi operations and the LTFRB itself,” Osmeña said.

He doesn’t see any valid reason why LTFRB should suspend Uber’s operations, but clarified that this is his own personal view and that he does not intend to make any appeals on behalf of the company.

“I really don’t know why they (LTFRB) are doing that. Of course, I am not in favor … I don’t see any reason why they should do it,” Osmeña added.

Osmeña admitted that he commends Uber for the services it provides for its users. He said he was interested in Uber’s proposal called “Uber-Government” where employees and officials will avail of their service using city-owned vehicles.

“I’m even having them study the management of vehicles here in city hall, that’s how I think of them very organized and we’re letting them organize the habal-habal,” he said.

The mayor said he came up with this idea so that the city’s service vehicles will be optimally used.

For his part, Ryan Benjamin Yu, chairman and general manager of Cebu Integrated Transport Services Multipurpose Cooperative (CITRASCO), said the suspension of Uber operations only shows that no one is above the law.

"At least now we know that no one is above the law maski pa it took some time. Basta dili mosunod sa rules and regulations, that entity should not be allowed to operate," said Yu.

CITRASCO, the biggest transport cooperative in the Visayas, has 200 taxi units and 2,000 jeepney units operating in Cebu.

Alita Pulga, Regional Director of the Land Transportation Office-7 said that they have not arrested any violators regarding Uber’s suspension since it took effect.

LTFRB-7 enforcers, however, apprehended two Uber cars yesterday for being colorum. This violation carries a penalty of P120,000 plus a threemonth impoundment of the units.

Malacañang has stood by the decision of LTFRB in suspending Uber operations, saying the agency was only doing its job.