House Bill 6958 to penalize customers who cancel food delivery orders

A House bill aims to protect food delivery drivers and providers from customers who cancel confirmed orders.

Filed by AKO Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, House Bill 6958, or the Food and Grocery Delivery Services Protection Act, prohibits the cancellation of confirmed orders from food and grocery delivery providers when they already have paid for the items or when the items are on the way to the customers. Shaming, demeaning, embarrassing, or humiliating delivery riders across any platform are also not allowed under the said bill.

Those who will violate the first provision can be imprisoned from 6 years to 12 years with a fine amounting to PHP 100,000USD 1,704INR 144,460EUR 1,623CNY 12,410. They should also give reimbursement to the food and delivery service providers for the value of the items paid by the rider in advance. A double fee for the canceled transaction should also be charged to the offenders.

Those who will shame, demean, embarrass, or humiliate delivery riders on any platforms, meanwhile, may be imprisoned for a minimum of 6 months.

However, the bill also exempts the following situations for the cancellation of orders:
• When the customer uses a credit card and the payment will still be credited to the service provider despite the cancellation.
• When the customer remits to the service provider any payment as a pre-condition for the cancellation of an order.
• When the delivery of the items will be or was delayed for at least an hour from the expected time of arrival and such delay was not caused by the driver’s negligence.

As stated by Rep. Alfredo Garbin in a report by CNN, the penalties can be lowered if the proper committee finds it too harsh.  Currently, the bill is still subject to amendment. “Pero laganap kasi ang pangloloko sa deliveries kaya this bill should serve as an announcement and sink into the consciousness na seryoso dito ang Congress,” he said.

Food and delivery service providers are also required to get a valid proof of identity and residential address or proof of billing of their customers. Verification of identity must be done through video calls. They should still comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 in processing their customer’s database.

source: Congress.gov.ph
via CNN