I am posting here an email I received a couple of days ago about the new modus operandi of several dishonest yellow taxis serving the arriving passengers of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). I am not sure if this actually happened or has a semblance of truth to it, but it may be worth noting that there are unscrupulous drivers who will try to dupe you into paying more for their service. It also helps to be more vigilant next time and to report any incidence of abuse to the proper authorities.
NANGYARI NA BA ITO SA INYO?
I always take the yellow airport taxi sa airport when I arrive from a trip. So yun uli ang ginawa ko when we arrived from China. Me and the rest of the Fellas lined up to get our own cabs that would take us home.
When I got mine, napansin ko na parang hindi naka-ON yung metro ng taxi. So I called the attention of the driver.
Me: "Kuya, hindi yata naka-ON yung metro nyo"
DRIVER: "Naka-ON yan, naka-CENTRALIZE na kasi kami"
Me: "Centralize? paano yun? Paano ko malalaman yung running total nung metro?
DRIVER: "Malalaman nyo po pagdating na sa destination"
Hmmmmm.... Medyo shady yata ah... at this point, I texted the rest of the Fellas and asked them kung ganun din ba yung nasakyan nila. Two of them said, hindi raw. At may amount naman yung metro nila. But one said pareho kami ng situation. Kesyo CENTRALIZED ek ek daw."
I started asking the driver questions.
Me: "Paano po naita-transmit yung information ng metro sa office ninyo? May computerized device ba kayo rito? Mala-wireless transmitter? via satelite ba? GPS? (at kung anu-ano na ang sinabi ko)
And this time, I started texting again, and LOUDLY, I said... "Matanong nga yung Tito ko na taga-Department of Transportation kung totoo nga yang CENTRALIZED thing na yan sa metro nyo"
TUMAHIMIK YUNG DRIVER.
and after a few seconds, he pulled over.
Me: "Kuya, bakit? ano'ng nangyari?
DRIVER: "Nasiraan yata tayo. Biglang namatay yung makina"
Me: "Ows? so paano na yan?"
DRIVER: "Lipat na lang po kayo. Bayaran n'yo na lang po ako ng hanggang dito"
IRRITATED Me: "Eh paano ko malalaman kung magkano ang babayaran ko eh wala ngang naka-display na amount sa metro ninyo?!"
At kung talagang walang dubious sa ginagawa niya, I asked, "Bakit po hindi kayo magtawag ng back-up na taxi para may maghatid sa akin? Puwede naman yun di ba?"
He just said, "Kumuha na lang kayo ng ordinary taxi"
SO bago ako sumakay sa napara ko, Kinunan ko muna ang plate number ng nasakyan kong yellow airport taxi. The name of the driver is LUIZ nga pala.
I don't really know if this system of theirs is legit, but it is really very shady to me. Kung legit man ito, at least they should be able to explain to their passenger properly.