Senate Bill 38 filed to protect delivery riders’ rights

Delivery riders – those whose job is to deliver items like food, medicine, or other small items, has become an important part of our everyday lives. They deliver food fresh from the oven, medicines for the sick, and documents just in time for that filing.

Little do we know, there are people who book their services just for fun or as a prank, and without genuine intention of paying for the delivery rider’s time, effort and fuel.

Unfortunately, these bogus bookings, with no one to receive the items, will still be charged to the rider by the merchant where the items came from.

Senator Lito Lapid says that it is time to end this and give these delivery riders protection with a new law.

The senator filed Senate Bill (SB) 38 or An Act Providing Measures to Protect Individuals Engaged in Food, Grocery, and Pharmacy Delivery Services for the benefit of delivery riders and drivers who have to pay for unjustified cancellation of orders or no-show customers.

Under SB 38, in the event of cancellation of confirmed orders or no-show customer (bogus), the service provider should be the one to pay the delivery rider or driver for the service fee.

Sen. Lapid said that he knows the struggle of delivery riders and this is the reason why he wants to push for deliver riders’ protection so unscrupulous people won't take advantage of them. Additionally, under the proposed law, food, grocery, and pharmacy delivery service providers are prohibited to require an advance monetary amount (abono) for the fulfillment of orders.

The bill also proposes that any investigation or inquiry conducted by the service provider on the propriety or validity of the cancellation shall not affect the right of the riders or drivers to collect their service fees.

delivery proposed law senate