Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 3) — Some Grab Food delivery riders claimed they were suspended or banned from the platform after joining a protest opposing the fare restructuring program of the company.

Members of the National Union of Food Delivery Riders (NUFDR) said they staged a protest on Oct. 25, the same day that the fare restructuring program was implemented.

They said the base fare for food delivery was lowered from ₱45 to ₱35, and the per kilometer rate is now at ₱7 from ₱10.

The riders union said they initially documented nine individuals who were either suspended or banned from using the platform.

However, they claimed they also received 50 more complaints from riders who either liked or shared their opposition to the restructuring program from various social media platforms.

The NUFDR has filed at least six cases against Grab before the Department of Labor for unfair labor practices.

“Talagang ang nag-suffer dito ay mga Grab driver. Imbes na tugunan niya ang panawagan namin, sinuspinde, yung iba na-ban,” said delivery food rider Jerome Estrada.

[Translation: The ones who really suffered here are the Grab drivers. Instead of responding to our call, some got suspended, while the others were banned.]

“Sana po ay mapansin ito at mabigyan ang bawat isa ng tamang proseso sa pagtanggal at pagbalik,” added Mary Rose Evardone, another delivery food rider.

“Kasi kung basta-basta lang tatanggalin ang delivery rider, para saan pa ang karapatan ng bawat isa,”

[Translation: I hope this will be given attention, and everyone will be given a proper termination process. If a delivery rider is suddenly fired, what’s the point of every individual’s human rights?]

John Jay Chan, RIDERS NCR spokesperson, said they disapproved of this scheme because of a loophole.

“Kapag nagkakaroon ng surge rate kapag umuulan, malakas ang bagyo, baha, mataas ang demand pag -ber months, nagkakaroon ng surge rate,” Chan explained. “So yung pagtaas ng presyo sa delivery fee ay hindi siya tantamount ng pagtaas ng delivery fee. In fact, fixed ang delivery fee.”

[Translation: When there is a surge rate when it rains, strong typhoons, floods, during months ‘ber’ months, there is a surge in rates. So the price increase in the delivery fee is not tantamount to the increase in the delivery fee. In fact, the delivery fee is fixed.]

Grab Philippines has yet to comment on the supposed suspension or banning of some delivery riders after joining the protest.

But in an earlier statement, the company said it is aware of the concerns of some delivery riders.

It also said it is working to ensure that their delivery riders will continue to earn substantially above the minimum wage.

Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communication Technology said it has the regulatory power over parcel delivery operators in the country.

DICT Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Aboy Paraiso said a technical working group of its regulatory division is still studying the fare matrix.

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