Grab ‘ready’ to release remaining ₱6.66-M customer refund

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 16) — Grab Philippines is ready to reimburse the remaining ₱6.66 million to users “as early as Friday,” a company official said, following the anti-trust body’s move to impose a fresh penalty against the ride-hailing firm.

In a statement on Tuesday, Atty. Sherielysse Bonifacio, the firm's director for public affairs, said Grab was already “working on the implementation and will be ready to implement as early as Friday.”

READ: PCC slaps Grab with ₱9M fine

Grab also said that it has been “in constant communication” with the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), seeking guidance on how to reimburse the remaining amount to users.

The firm noted that it informed the PCC of its difficulties in completing the refund as some users did not have GrabPay wallets or were no longer in the Philippines using the mobile application.

Bonifacio said some of those users were tourists who visited in 2018 and 2019. She added that Grab Philippines had reached out to them, but to no avail.

The lawyer also said Grab proposed seven options, including placing the funds in escrow with the government or donating it to charity.

“Buti ngayon po, finally klaro na po kung ano po ‘yung gagawin natin dun sa remaining ₱6.66 million. Hopefully after this ma-resolve na po natin ‘yung isyu na ito at matuldukan natin,” Bonifacio was quoted as saying in the statement.

[Translation: It's good that it's now finally clear what we're going to do with the remaining ₱6.66 million. Hopefully, after this, we will be able to resolve this issue.]

The ride-hailing giant said it already completed the reimbursement of ₱18.78 million to riders, or 73.8% of the ₱25.4 million Grab had to pay.