MANILA - Some 50,000 Uber and Grab drivers were ordered deactivated for operating without a franchise, regulators said Tuesday, as the start of a government crackdown on illegal ride-sharing operations neared.

Starting on July 26, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board will apprehend Uber and Grab drivers who operate without a certificate of public convenience or provisional authority.

The two ride-sharing services said Monday they would not deactivate their drivers. They were previously fined P5 million each for allowing alleged "colorum" operations.

Uber and Grab also urged the LTFRB to lift the suspension on the accreditation of new drivers and vehicles under the ride-sharing scheme.

"We cannot have one rule regarding colorum for them and another rule for the rest of the modes of public transport, i.e. bus, UV express, taxi and PUJ," LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra said in a statement.

"Where service is imbued with public interest, no less than the safety and welfare of the riding public is concerned, regulations become priority," he said.

Delgra said the two companies should show "good faith" as a the LTFRB sets a technical study on ride-sharing issues such as pending accreditation and dynamic pricing.

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