Following a nasty sting operation, Manila authorities give Uber a nice pat on the back

By now it’s well-understood that Uber doesn’t play nice with competitors and local authorities, and its adversaries are often just as eager to hit below the belt. But in Manila, where Uber has been operating since December 2013, municipal bureaus can’t seem to agree on how to deal with the transportation network company.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports that yesterday Manila’s Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which oversees the city’s taxi industry, staged a sting operation against a driver partnered with UberBlack, Uber’s premium service tier. Following a complaint issued by the Philippine National Taxi Operators Association against Uber, the LTFRB arranged for an individual to book a short ride using Uber. After paying the PHP 350 (about US$7.50) fee, an LTFRB official promptly approached the driver, confiscated the vehicle’s license plate, and impounded the automobile. The driver would reportedly be subject to paying a fine of PHP 200,000 (about US$4,400) for operating an unlicensed commercial transport vehicle.

Sting operations against Uber aren’t unusual – in 2012, Washington, D.C. authorities staged a rather notorious one, placing the taxi commission chairman himself in one of Uber’s sedans to do the dirty work. But the LTFRB’s tricks didn’t just earn the ire of local Uber lovers. According to local news site Philstar, one day after the incident, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) issued a press statement condemning the LTFRB’s actions and urging the organization to accommodate transportation network companies like Uber.

“The muscle of the law and the procedural and technical arms of government agencies alone cannot resolve the lack of alternate means of transportation problem. They can only increase apprehension records. Uber or hybrid carpooling is a well-meaning technology-driven effort intended for public safety and convenience that’s why people are patronizing it. We cannot curtail their mobility rights. This is similar to private bridal cars and private ambulances for rent which is a private transaction between the rider and the owner of the vehicle,” said MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino in the statement.

Needless to say, Uber was pleased, and the company expressed its appreciation for Tolentino’s support on its blog.

The olive branch extended to Uber by Manila’s MMDA might place the city alongside Singapore as one of the more TNC-friendly municipalities in Asia. On the other end of the spectrum, authorities in Jakarta and Seoul have shaken fists at the company, but neither city has taken conclusive actions directed towards shutting it down.

(Source: Philippine Daily Enquirer, Philstar)

Editing by J.T. Quigley; top image via Flickr user stormcrypt