Naia bans cab firm for overcharging

DISHONEST CABBIE Authorities impound the taxi of Virgilio Daguplo who was as meek as a lamb when confronted by LTFRB Board Member Aileen Lizada and Miaa official Roderick Mejia. —Contributed photos

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has banned a taxi company from the airport complex after one of its drivers charged a foreign food blogger and his friends P1,500 just to transfer them to another terminal.

On top of this, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has asked Eazy First Transport which has 35 taxi cabs to explain why its franchise should not be revoked after its driver overcharged Mikey Chen.

In an 11-minute video he posted on his YouTube page on Sunday, Chen said that as he was about to leave the country in January, he and his friends went to the wrong airport terminal.

Exorbitant fare

When they flagged down Virgilio Daguplo’s taxi, he charged them P2,300 for the short trip from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4. The fare should have been P250 at most, although Daguplo kept on referring Chen to a fare rate card displayed in his cab.

Chen added that while he suspected Daguplo would charge them extra, he did not expect the fare to be many times over what they paid for an Uber ride from their hotel to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

“This is robbery right here,” lamented Chen who, based on a police report, ended up paying Daguplo P1,500 after haggling with the suspect.

Two days after the video was uploaded, airport officials found Daguplo’s taxi (ACC 9310) outside the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines office. The cab, however, was being driven by his colleague.

Cabbie presents himself

On Tuesday night, Daguplo went to Naia Terminal 1 and presented himself to authorities.

LTFRB Board Member Aileen Lizada said that apart from being issued a ticket for contracting, overcharging and the illegal use of a matrix, the cabbie also faced the prospect of having his license revoked.

Chen is the second video blogger this month alone to share his experience of being scammed by taxi drivers at Naia.

Two weeks ago, blogger Haley Dasovich was scolded by a cabbie when she refused to pay a flat rate of P500 and insisted on using the taxi meter.

The suspect, Frederick Cayanan, was later caught by authorities.

In both cases, the taxi cabs will be impounded for three months while their operators will be fined P120,000.

The LTFRB considers the vehicles “colorum” (without a transport franchise) because of their use of a fare matrix.

Be more cautious

Following these incidents, Miaa General Manager Ed Monreal urged the public to be more cautious in dealing with drivers of regular white taxis which have not been accredited by airport officials.

Passengers should also keep the dispatch slip instead of giving these to the cab driver so that they could immediately report incidents of contracting and overcharging.

At the same time, he appealed to taxi drivers to “stop taking advantage of others.”

“This season of Lent is the best time for them to reflect on how their enterprising ways are harming others and seek the Lord’s forgiveness and start a new life,” Monreal said.