House bill prohibits unreasonable
cancellation of food, grocery
delivery orders
By: Neil Arwin Mercado - Inquirer.netJune 08,2020 - 10:16 AM
Food delivery workers continue to provide service despite the community
quarantine declared by the Philippine government during the COVID-19
coronavirus lockdown in Manila on March 20, 2020. | Photo by Maria TAN /
AFP
MANILA, Philippines — A House of Representatives bill seeking to prohibit
the cancellation of confirmed orders when the items are already in the
possession of the delivery rider or in transit to the customer has been filed.
Under House Bill No. 6958 or the Food and Grocery Delivery Services
Protection Act, filed by Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., the bill
covers “instances wherein customers order food and/or grocery items for the
purpose of pranking or those who have no genuine intention of availing of the
services which causes damage and undue duress to the delivery riders and
their corresponding service providers.”
The bill likewise prohibits the shaming and humiliation of delivery riders.
“In this time of COVID-19 crisis, where staying at home and avoiding crowded
places have become the new normal, the food and grocery delivery services
have become an indispensable and booming industry,” Garbin said in a text
message.
“In order to protect the interest of the service providers who are risking life and
limb to keep us safe within our abodes, this bill seeks to provide safeguards to
the riders and penalize those who will unreasonably, unceremoniously, and
unconsciously cancel their owners,” the lawmaker added.
If approved into law, violators will face one-year imprisonment and a fine of
P100,000.
The violator shall likewise reimburse the food and delivery service and
providers for the value of the items advanced by the delivery rider and be
made to pay the said food and grocery delivery service provider an amount of
money double the fee charged for the cancelled transaction, the bill states.
If the violation was committed by or with the use of information
communications technologies (ICT), the penalty shall be one degree higher
since the prohibited acts are covered by the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
As an added protection, food and delivery service providers shall also require
their customers, prior to registration with the mobile application or web page,
to submit a valid proof of identity and residential address or proof of billing.
“It shall likewise endeavor to verify the identity of the customer through video
call verification. Violation of this role shall render the food and grocery
services provider liable for a fine of [P1,000,000] per violation,” the bill states.
There are, however, several exceptions from the prohibited cancellation of
confirmed orders which includes the following:
When the customer uses credit card services as mode of
reimbursement and payment and any such reimbursement and payment will
still be credited to the food and grocery delivery service provider
notwithstanding the cancellation;
The customer remits to the food and delivery service provider any such
reimbursement and payment as a pre-condition for the cancellation order; and
The delivery of ordered food and grocery items will be or was delayed
for at least one hour from the expected time of arrival given by the delivery
rider upon confirmation of order except when previously notified by the rider or
the service provider and the delay is through no fault of their own
Read more: https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/316392/house-bill-prohibits-
unreasonable-cancellation-of-food-grocery-delivery-orders#ixzz6OjudCEhS
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