When In Manila, I always take the yellow airport taxi at the airport when I arrive from a trip as it’s usually safer and more convenient. So that’s exactly what I did 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 my cab, I noticed that the meter was not turned on. So I called the attention of the driver.
ME: “Kuya, hindi yata naka-ON yung metro nyo” (Sir, I think your meter isn’t turned on)
DRIVER: “Naka-ON yan, naka-CENTRALIZE na kasi kami” (Oh it’s working, the meters are centralized now)
ME: “Centralize? paano yun? Paano ko malalaman yung running total nung metro?” (Centralized? How does that work? How will I know how much I owe?)
DRIVER: “Malalaman nyo po pagdating na sa destination” (You’ll know when we get there)
DRIVER: “Naka-ON yan, naka-CENTRALIZE na kasi kami” (Oh it’s working, the meters are centralized now)
ME: “Centralize? paano yun? Paano ko malalaman yung running total nung metro?” (Centralized? How does that work? How will I know how much I owe?)
DRIVER: “Malalaman nyo po pagdating na sa destination” (You’ll know when we get there)
Hmmmmm…. I thought to myself: “This seems really shady!” At this point, I texted the rest of the Fellas and asked them if they were experiencing the same thing with their respective cabs. Two of them said, no, adding that their taxi meters indeed were on and had an amount indicated on them. While another friend of mine did say that he was experiencing the same CENTRALIZED BS with his taxi.
So 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? (How does the information get transmitted to your centralized meters? Is it a computerized device? A wireless transmitter? Via satellite? GPS?)
And this time, I started texting again, and LOUDLY, I said:
ME: “Matanong nga yung Tito ko na taga-Department of Transportation kung totoo nga yang CENTRALIZED thing na yan sa metro nyo” (Let me ask my uncle who’s a part of the Department of Transportation if this centralized thing is true)
The driver suddenly got real quiet after that, then after a few seconds, he pulled over.
ME: “Kuya, bakit? ano’ng nangyari? (What happened?)
DRIVER: “Nasiraan yata tayo. Biglang namatay yung makina” (I think the cab broke down)
ME: “Ows? so paano na yan?” (So what now?)
DRIVER: “Lipat na lang po kayo. Bayaran n’yo na lang po ako ng hanggang dito” (Just switch to a different taxi and just pay for the trip up until this point)
IRRITATED ME: “Eh paano ko malalaman kung magkano ang babayaran ko eh wala ngang naka-display na amount sa metro ninyo?!” (And how will I know how much to pay if it’s not displayed on your meter?)
DRIVER: “Nasiraan yata tayo. Biglang namatay yung makina” (I think the cab broke down)
ME: “Ows? so paano na yan?” (So what now?)
DRIVER: “Lipat na lang po kayo. Bayaran n’yo na lang po ako ng hanggang dito” (Just switch to a different taxi and just pay for the trip up until this point)
IRRITATED ME: “Eh paano ko malalaman kung magkano ang babayaran ko eh wala ngang naka-display na amount sa metro ninyo?!” (And how will I know how much to pay if it’s not displayed on your meter?)
EVEN MORE IRRITATED ME: “Bakit po hindi kayo magtawag ng back-up na taxi para may maghatid sa akin? Puwede naman yun di ba?” (And why don’t you call for a backup taxi to come pick me up if your systems are centralized anyway! You can do that right?!)
DRIVER just said, “Kumuha na lang kayo ng ordinary taxi” (Just go get a different taxi)
DRIVER just said, “Kumuha na lang kayo ng ordinary taxi” (Just go get a different taxi)
So after this whole incident, of course I took a picture of that yellow airport taxi that had the centralized meter system. The name of the driver is LUIZ.
My “centralized meter” airport taxi that mysteriously broke down when I started asking questions
I don’t really know if this system of theirs is legit, but it seemed very shady to me. IF this was a legit system, they should inform the passengers first about this and not surprise us with a “centralized” bill after we get to our destination.
Please share to warn your friends.
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Please share to warn your friends.
When in Cebu City, please visit http://www.gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs. Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City together with your own parking space at the low amount of only P12,000.00+ and House and Lot @ P 7,306.81/month only. Hurry while supply of units still last. Just call the Tel. Nos. shown herein: (053)555-84-64/09164422611/09173373687.
ORIGINAL AUTHOR: Jhett Baroma
Shared with Jhett Baroma’s permission
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