Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, chair of the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Trade and Industry, bared on Tuesday that a resolution concerning the plea of the delivery riders in Davao City that they’ll be exempted from getting business permit will be available before the year ends.
Ortiz explained that this means that the issue will be resolved in the sense that it will be presented to the plenary for a second reading with the committee recommendations with corresponding resolutions and ordinances.
“But rest assured and even nahibaluan naman pud ni sa atoang mga delivery riders, kani lang ang maingon sa commitee, rest assured na ginatrabaho ng commitee and maybe before the yearend kani siya mahimuan na nato ug resolution, meaning ma-address na nato ang complaints or plea or request from the delivery riders. Ma-resolve na ang issue in a sense na ma-present na sa plenary for second reading with the committee recommendations with corresponding resolution and ordinances,” Ortiz said during the Aprubado sa Konseho media briefing.
The members of the United Davao Delivery Riders Association (UDDRA) aired an appeal to the city government of Davao that instead of requiring them to obtain business permits, the city must require them to comply with delivery platforms with business regulations and improve the riders’ welfare through appropriate protections and support.
Earlier this month, UDDRA called on the city government of Davao again and expressed to be exempted from securing a business permit as it only imposes “undue financial and administrative burdens.”
The Davao City Revenue Code, or City Ordinance No. 0291-17, was approved in 2017 but was revised in 2021 to require delivery riders to register for business permits, among other things.
Ortiz assured that her committee is not stopping working on their complaint. She said it was quite a tedious process, complex and complicated as they found a lot that needed to be corrected in the previous Ordinance No.0612-2021.
She also said that four committees of the city council were already involved in working for the resolution of the issue.
“We have conducted at least two committee hearings and a separate meeting to address this issue. If I say series of meetings because it’s not only the City Council who is involved in this subject matter kundili apil na ang stakeholders, especially from the implementors ng previous ordinance which was crafted in 2021. It affects the revenues of our city and affects the City Treasurer’s Office and the Business Bureau. We also conducted consultations with the City Legal Office,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz expressed optimism that the complaints of the delivery riders are close to being resolved.
“Before the year ends naa na ni siyay tubag through the plenary sa SP. Pag muingon ta ug plenary medyo duol duol na gyud ni siya na mahatagan na nato ug tubag ug kasulbaran. We are preparing the commitee report together with the executive department. I cannot devulge the commitee recommendation because it will just pre-empt the commitee report na amoang i-present sa plenary for second reading,” she said.
During his privilege speech on January 23, 2024, Councilor Bernie Al-ag suggested abolishing the rule requiring delivery riders to get business permits.
