LTFRB Suspends Uber's Operations for One Month

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has suspended Uber's operations, telling the transport network vehicle service operator to defer its accreditation and to cease and desists its operations, specifically its online booking application, for one month. The suspension order was issued today, August 14, 2017.

While the suspension is in place, the LTFRB advised Uber to extend some financial assistance to its operators "as an expression of good faith as their accredited peer-operators would not have suffered the current predicament were it not for the predatory actions" of the company--just over a month after the agency levied a fine of P5 million against Uber and another similar service provider, Grab.

The LTFRB also stressed that it has issued copies of the said suspension order to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, and the Land Transportation Office's and LTFRB's enforcers "for enforcement."

The complete text for the suspension order is as follows:

"ADVISORY
TO ALL UBER TNVS

IN AN ORDER DATED 14 AUGUST 2017, THE BOARD METED OUT THE PENALTY OF ONE (1) MONTH SUSPENSION ON THE ACCREDITATION OF UBER SYSTEM, INC. (UBER) AND WAS ORDERED TO CEASE AND DESIST ITS OPERATION OF THEIR ONLINE BOOKING APPLICATION DURING THE PERIOD OF SUSPENSION.