The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has confirmed the presence of “ghost riders” and a growing number of unregistered or “colorum” drivers in the list of transport workers included for government aid.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez said the issue surfaced during the distribution of financial assistance to drivers affected by recent developments abroad, when the government ordered aid for all public transport workers amid the persisting oil crisis.
Lopez said an estimated 30,000 four-wheel transport network vehicle service (TNVS) drivers were found to be outside the official list, while more than 200,000 motorcycle taxi riders were also identified as not properly registered.
“Ang estimate namin sa four-wheel, ang initial list namin, papalo po ng mga around 30,000. At kulang pa daw yun ah,” Lopez said in an interview on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos.
He explained that the discrepancy stemmed from irregular onboarding practices by some transport network companies (TNCs), which allegedly allowed drivers to join their platforms even without the required franchise or provisional authority from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Under existing rules, drivers must first secure authorization from the LTFRB before being onboarded by TNCs. However, Lopez said some companies exceeded their allotted slots and accepted additional drivers without proper documentation.
“Ang ginawa dati kasi, magbibigay ang LTFRB ng slot nila per TNCs. Ito may isang libo ka na slot at yan yung pwede sa'yo para makapag-onboard ka ng mga TNVS mo. Itong mga ginawa nila ngayon, binigyan sila ng slot pero sumobra sila,” he said.
Lopez added that some drivers were also charged onboarding fees on top of daily commissions, worsening their financial burden.
The DOTr has since revised the onboarding process, shifting to a digital system where drivers must first obtain a franchise before choosing a platform.
The issue also extended to motorcycle taxi services, where Lopez said companies exceeded rider caps.
“Marami po. Higit 200,000 po. Kaya nga po ang sinasabi natin, hindi po pwedeng hindi alam ito ng TNCs. Kasi yung master list galing sa kanila,” he said.
Lopez noted that the master lists used in aid distribution came from TNCs, raising concerns about accountability. He said some companies may have hesitated to submit accurate data for fear of penalties.
Despite the discrepancies, the DOTr proceeded with payouts to avoid delays in assistance to legitimate drivers, Lopez said, adding that accountability measures will be addressed separately.
