Uber applies for accreditation

MANILA, Philippines - Ride-sharing service provider Uber yesterday filed its application for accreditation with the government.

Laurence Cua, Uber general manager for Manila, said its application was submitted to the government yesterday, three days ahead of the Aug. 20 deadline.

 “Since the beginning, Uber has always had one goal – to provide access to reliable, affordable and safe transportation options anytime and anywhere to all Filipinos at the push of a button and we look forward to the continued support and leadership of the government of the Philippines in achieving this,” he said.

He said Uber has been preparing its submission for accreditation over the past few months, with the guidance of the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The ridesharing app has been a hot topic in the news and social media recently for its inability to file an application for accreditation as a transportation network company (TNC) with the LTFRB.

The rules to accommodate the new online private vehicle booking services were issued by the government in May.

Under the guidelines, TNCs would be required to obtain a certificate of public convenience from the LTFRB for every vehicle to ensure accountability.

Drivers must likewise be screened and accredited by the TNCs and registered with the LTFRB for passenger safety.

Last week, the LTFRB set Aug. 20 as a deadline for Uber to secure accreditation to prevent its vehicles from being apprehended.

GrabCar, the private vehicle hiring service of mobile app GrabTaxi, secured its accreditation as a TNC last month.