New bill seeks to punish customers who cancel food delivery orders

House Bill 6958, or the Food and Grocery Delivery Services Act, aims to penalize those who cancel confirmed orders for food or grocery items that have been paid for by delivery riders or are in transit. 

The bill hopes to serve as protection for delivery riders who are subject to abuse from customers. 

(LOOK: This Facebook Group Helps Food Delivery Drivers Sell Canceled Orders)

“This covers instances wherein customers order food and/or grocery items for the purpose of pranking or those who have no genuine intention of availing of the service which causes damage and undue duress to the Delivery Riders and their corresponding services,” the bill reads.

HB 6958 outlines penalties of up to a Php 100,000 fine and 6 to 12 years of jail time for violators. They will also be made to reimburse the value of the items advanced by the rider as well as a cancellation fee. 

However, AKO Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin who filed the bill explains that the penalties are subject to amendment if deemed too harsh by the proper committee. 

“Pero laganap kasi ang pangloloko sa deliveries kaya this bill should serve as an announcement and sink into the consciousness na sersoyo dito ang Congress,” Garbin said. 

[But doing pranks on deliveries has been widespread nowadays, so this bill should serve as an announcement and sink into the consciousness of people that Congress is serious about this.]

Exempted from the prohibited cancellation of orders are the following: customers using a credit card with the payment remaining credited to the service provider in the event of a cancellation; customers remitting the service provider with a cancellation fee; items whose delivery is delayed by at least 1 hour from the expected time of arrival. 

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