Hundreds of food delivery riders held recently a unity ride in Quezon City to protest what they alleged as “unfair management practices by Grab.”

Supported by the National Union of Food Delivery Riders, the group protested the new fare matrix implemented by Grab which they said drastically reduced the riders already meager income.

The riders are also demanding that Grab reinstate delivery riders that were “unjustly suspended or terminated for attending the rallies to voice their grievances.”

According to the riders, Grab’s new fare rate per order was reduced to P35 from the previous P45, while the per kilometer compensation of P10 was reduced to P7 only.

The riders’ predicament has already reached the attention of the government, particularly Congress and the Senate.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, in a recent video statement in support of the riders, said: “If the goal of this new fare matrix is to ease the burden of customers, it should not come at the expense of the platform’s riders.”

The issue of the riders’ reported illegal termination by the Grab management is now being deliberated by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) after the riders group sought the help of the NLRC.

Grab is a Singaporean multinational technology company that developed a super-app for ride-hailing, food delivery and digital payments services on mobile devices.

It operates in the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and its native country, Singapore.

A report from American newsite CNBC stated that Grab posted strong revenue growth in 2022. “Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2022 grew 310% to $502 million, up from $122 million a year ago. Full-year revenue came in at $1.43 billion, up 112% from $675 million in 2021 and exceeding guidance of $1.32 billion to $1.35 billion.”