While Metro Manila is currently under a general community quarantine (GCQ), it is advised for people to stay home if they could to avoid the further spread of COVID-19. As a result, many rely on delivery services to get their supply of food and even groceries. What doesn't help, though, is the habit of unreasonably canceling food delivery orders even when the riders have already purchased the items (with their own money at that). They're left with unnecessary expenses which they could have instead used for daily needs.
A new house bill, however, aims to avoid such practices by penalizing those who cancel their delivery orders once they've been purchased. Under the House Bill No. 6958 or the Food and Grocery Delivery Services Protection Act, canceling confirmed orders once the delivery rider has already paid for or is in possession of the ordered items can be punished with a fine of up to P100,000.
The bill also prohibits orders with "no genuine intention" as well as acts demeaning, shaming, or embarrassing delivery riders "across any platform," the latter of which is punishable with jail time. There are exceptions, however, like when the customer used a credit card to pay for the order or when the customer sends a reimbursement for the cancelled order.
The bill was authored by AKO BICOL Party List Rep. Alfredo Garbin, Jr. In an interview with CNN Philippines, Garbin explains, "Laganap kasi ang pangloloko sa deliveries kaya this bill should serve as an announcement and sink into the consciousness na sersoyo dito ang Congress."
