Alleged NAIA Taxi Driver Is Charging More Than P10,000 per Passenger for a Ride
The LTFRB is currently looking into the incident.
(SPOT.ph) We’ve heard those horror stories about taxi drivers exploiting foreign tourists—and the holidays seem to be peak season for these incidents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is currently investigating a taxi service for overcharging passengers, with meter rates amounting to P13,500 for a single journey to one of NAIA's terminals. This came to light after some Taiwanese tourists were reportedly charged P10,000 for a 10-minute ride from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4.
In a now-viral Facebook post, they posted a video of being handed a price list ranging from P9,700 to P13,500 per passenger at the end of the trip. The cheapest destination is bus terminals in Metro Manila, while the most expensive destination is NAIA Terminal 4. It is unclear where the taxi will be coming from with these rates.
Here is the full price list of the NAIA taxi as seen in the Taiwanese tourist's video:
- Terminal 1 - P11,500
- Terminal 2 - P12,000
- Terminal 3 - P13,500
- Terminal 4 - P10,300
- Any part of Metro Manila - P10,300
- All hotels/bus terminals in Metro Manila - P9,700
LTFRB Spokesperson Celine Pialago said the agency is checking the authenticity of the posted video.
“Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III assures the public that the LTFRB remains dedicated to addressing any violations promptly and implementing necessary actions to maintain the quality of public transportation services,” Pialago said in a statement as reported by Inquirer.net.
Also read: White, Yellow, and...Coupon? Here's Your Guide to Various Taxis at NAIA
Possible taxi scam at NAIA?
The image of the meter rates was said to have been posted on a Facebook group for Taiwanese tourists who are interested in visiting Philippine destinations like Cebu, Bohol, and Boracay.
According to the original post written in Mandarin, a security guard at NAIA claimed there was no available shuttle bus to take them from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4. He directed the Taiwanese tourists to a taxi driver in a red uniform, who charged P10,000 per passenger for the ride. The driver allegedly locked them in the vehicle until they settled on a P5,000 payment for each person. All that money just to get from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4.
The 10-minute taxi ride should only cost somewhere between P160 and P200. The area can also be traversed via jeepney, which has a minimum fare of P13.
The alleged scam went above and beyond with the design of the price list, which included official logos of the NAIA and the Department of Tourism (DOTr). The top portion read “Airport Accredited Regular Taxi Service Meter Rate,” while the bottom portion had this: “Note: Follow airport policy. Disobeying airport policy is punishable by Philippine law (Good as original receipts).” The paper was even laminated to appear legitimate.
Pialago said that LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III is encouraging those who may have additional information or have experienced similar incidents to report it to the LTFRB.
If found guilty, taxi drivers could face violations under LTFRB's Joint Administrative Order 2014, leading to the revocation of their public service certificates on top of the substantial fines.
Also read: Fixed Price, No Surge: Grab to Deploy 200 "Airport to Anywhere" Cars to NAIA
How to know if a NAIA taxi is legitimate:
There are three kinds of taxis at NAIA: white, yellow, and coupon. No matter which you go with, you should receive a dispatch slip. Don't lose it or hand it over to the driver—this is because agency hotlines are available at the dispatch slip in case of concerns or complaints about the ride.
White metered taxis have a base fare of P45, with an additional P13.5 for every succeeding kilometer and an additional P2 for every minute of travel time. Yellow-metered taxis have a base fare of P75, with an additional P4 for every succeeding 300 meters and an additional P4 for every two minutes of travel time.
Last but not the least: Coupon taxis have a fixed fare to your destination, but going to Metro Manila will only cost somewhere between P300 to P1,000, depending on the city. No P10,000 charges here.