"No Available Riders" in GrabFood? This Could Be The Reason Why

(SPOT.ph) UPDATED: Attempting to order food via GrabFood to no avail? You are not alone—social media users have asked why there are no GrabFood riders in their area despite numerous attempts to book a service.

Food delivery riders in parts of Metro Manila have joined rallies to protest the lower fees Grab reportedly plans to implement to weather the post-pandemic changes like the rise of dine-in culture and crippling inflation. For some riders who brave the rains and intense heat to deliver orders, it's the only work they have and lowering the base fares means less take-home pay for them.

"We are sorry sa mga customers, pero may mga merchants o vendors na supportive sa action, hindi rin sila masaya sa gagawin adjustments ng Grab," National Union of Food Delivery Riders's National Coordinator Geoffrey Labudahon told SPOT.ph.

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Grab riders' protest to push for "fair rate"

Thousands of delivery riders—some 300 of them in Quezon City alone—participated in a rally on Wednesday, October 25 urging Grab for fair rates, according to Labudahon. It fell on the same day Grab was expected to lower the base fare for deliveries to P35 from P45, and the per kilometer fee to P7 from P10.

Those who participated turned off their app so less riders were available to take orders, while some merchants also expressed support for the riders by not accepting orders via delivery, he claimed.

This wasn't the first time they held a protest on "unfair fare matrix." The group also held a rally in Quezon City's resto strip Tomas Morato and Timog on October 19. Some riders were illegally terminated following the incident, said Labudahon.

While some of our attempts here at SPOT.ph to book GrabFood's services on Wednesday failed due to "no available drivers nearby," our orders from Marikina and Mandaluyong pushed through this Thursday.

Also read: Lockdown Anniversary: Riders Keep Deliveries Moving (Even on One Leg)

Grab Philippines on the new earnings structure for delivery riders

Grab Philippines said on Wednesday that it rolled out a new earnings structure for its delivery partners as a result of a two-month pilot program involving select delivery drivers.

Part of it is offering a "revamped earnings model" factoring in the delivery riders' wait time at merchant outlets and adjusting fares for long-distance pick-up to ensure "fairer compensation," without mentioning how much delivery riders would receive from this new earning scheme.

Grab Philippines said it would also have a guaranteed minimum fare so riders will receive a "fair amount" no matter how small the delivery job is.

“Grab is fully committed to ensuring that its delivery partners on the platform continue to earn substantially above the minimum wage,” it said in a statement.

”In the face of evolving consumer behaviors and significant macroeconomic shifts, our delivery service’s remarkable resilience is a reflection of our philosophy that our success is intertwined with the success of our partners. As we continue to navigate the post-pandemic era, we are firm in our commitment to showcasing our adaptability and unwavering support to our delivery-partners,” said Grab Philippines Chief Operating Officer Ronald Roda in a statement released on October 25.

To which the National Union of Food Delivery Riders responded:

“RIDERS-SENTRO and the Grab Riders’ Coalition would welcome Grab’s openness to a dialogue. However, such a dialogue would only be meaningful if it is done with the real representatives of the riders—their union leaders that they elected. A ‘fair rate’ designed without consultation with riders cannot be called fair.”

Grab Philippines reached out to SPOT.ph on Thursday, October 26 for a separate statement.

"We'd like to clarify that despite the gathering of a number of delivery partners, our operations and delivery services remained largely unaffected. Together with our merchant partners and vast network of delivery-partners, we ensured that many of our consumers continue to receive their orders in a timely manner.

"We appreciate the understanding and trust of our community, and we remain committed to delivering the best possible service to our kababayans."

UPDATED (October 26, 6:10 p.m.): This article has been edited to include a quote from Grab.