Grab launches ‘social protection program’ for drivers after Cebu protests

MANILA, Philippines – Grab executives on Tuesday, November 15, emphasized their commitment to the welfare of their delivery partners following a protest in Cebu led by some of the platform’s riders.

“We are looking out for all our delivery partners. That’s actually part of our own KPIs (key performance indicators): how much they earn, what do they earn on a per-hour, per-day basis. We really care about that,” said Grab Philippines country head Grace Vera Cruz in a media briefing.

This comes days after nearly 100 Grab delivery drivers held a “unity ride” in Cebu City on November 10 to raise concerns over alleged cuts in delivery pay and a lack of dialogue between riders and the platform’s management.

Vera Cruz clarified that while there were “structural changes” to the way partners were compensated, they found no major changes in amount. She added that, on average, Grab drivers continue earning above minimum wage consistently, but that because of the nature of their work, compensation can vary significantly. 

“There are people that work harder, there are people that don’t. Siyempre (Of course), the people that work harder, you won’t see them protesting because that’s just the way the gig system works in general,” she said.

When asked about the limited consultations between Grab drivers and management, Vera Cruz said they hold a forum with drivers every day.

“We have a dedicated team that does engagement. If you’re not a Grab driver, siguro mahirap talaga to reach Grab,” Vera Cruz said. (If you’re not a Grab driver, it probably is hard to reach Grab.)

In an earlier Rappler report, Grab administrators said that many of the protesting drivers were no longer delivery partners.

While Grab acknowledged that they could always improve their engagement with drivers, the difficulty lay in considering the interests of all the app’s stakeholders. 

“As a consumer, because life is getting harder, you of course want to lower deliveries. As drivers, they want higher deliveries,” Vera Cruz said. “You have to balance it all the time.”

Social protection program

As part of their stated commitment to drivers’ welfare, Grab also launched a social protection program on Tuesday, in an event attended by thousands of riders and their families. Representatives from Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Social Security System (SSS), and Pag-IBIG Fund set up booths to aid drivers in signing up for the government’s social welfare services.

Grab drivers, who are classified as self-employed, must register and contribute to these government social protection programs independently. The app has also pledged to subsidize the first-month contribution of the first 1,000 drivers who have signed up. Though participation remains voluntary, Grab encourages all their drivers to avail themselves of these services.

“We will always encourage [availment], as Grab, or as Move It, now that they’re owned by Grab,” Vera Cruz said. “We will encourage all gig economy workers to avail of the services that the government provides.” – Rappler.com