Manila International Airport Authority Could Ban Taxis from Airports

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is looking at the possibility of banning taxis from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) if the agency will still receive reports about abusive and overcharging taxi drivers. This follows the recent viral video posted by video blogger Haley Dasovich where she caught on camera the driver of the taxi she had taken asking for a fixed fare of PHP500 instead of using the cab's meter. According to MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal, his agency allowed white taxis in NAIA to  give the public more transportation options. He warned though that if taxi drivers will continue to abuse their passengers, he will not hesitate to ban them from queuing and picking up fares from all four terminals of the NAIA. Monreal added that since the current PHP1,000 fine for taxi operators (PHP1,000 for drivers, PHP5,000 for operators as per the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's list of traffic violations and their corresponding penalties - Editor) is "too small" and can easily be recovered from passengers, it should be increased from PHP120,000 to PHP200,000 for each violation. Based on MIAA's records, it has impounded 86 taxis since August 2017, with the vehicles currently being held temporarily in the old Nayong Pilipino compound. Among the violations of the impounded taxis were either expired or no Certificate of Public Convenience. Monreal appealed to the taxi drivers to help the government in improving the country's image, noting that a foreigner's impression of the Philippines starts from the airport where the visitor landed. "Let us help in improving the country's image," he remarked. "Please do not take advantage of our passengers." Meanwhile, Monreal reiterated that passengers should not hesitate in reporting abusive incidents. Every taxi rider in NAIA is given a dispatch slip that contains the phone numbers of where to report incidents of abuse or overcharging. These numbers include that of the LTFRB, the Airport Police Department, and the MIAA text hotline.