Drilon calls on airport execs to act on taxi overcharging

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Franklin Drilon on Thursday called on the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to put a stop to the increasing cases of alleged overcharging of airport taxis at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

"I strongly urge the Manila International Airport Authority, especially its General Manager Jose Angel Honrado, to immediately do what needs to be done to put an end to these reports of abusive and unscrupulous drivers preying on both local and foreign travelers and our overseas Filipino workers," Drilon said.

Drilon suggested that the should start by ensuring the steady supply of metered taxis servicing airport passengers.

"As you can see, there is clearly a need to bolster the number of metered taxis in the NAIA whom passengers can rely on to charge them proper and reasonable fares during their rides," Drilon said.

The senator noted how airports can be used by foreigners to gauge how effective the country's government services are.

Drilon cited a story posted on social media wherein a group of commuters refused a P1,800 "fixed-rate" offer of an airport taxi and opted to ride a meter taxi instead, who charged them P320.

"There is absolutely no reason as to why the MIAA would tolerate these deficiencies which result to poor services to our passengers. If the present concessionaire could not provide the number of cabs our airport needs, let us find another one who can," the senator said.

Data from the MIAA showed that the NAIA only has 1,677 airport-accredited taxis and vehicles for rent last year.

In 2014, the daily number of arriving passengers at Terminal 1 is estimated at 9,536 passengers, 10,722 passengers for Terminal 2, 21,293 passengers for Terminal 3 and 4,949 passengers for Terminal 4.

"After the ‘tanim bala’ issue and the many other scandals which have taken a toll on the image of the NAIA and the country as a whole, I think General Honrado and the rest of MIAA could not afford to not take immediate action on this issue. If they want to truly prove that they care about our flying public, then they need to act now," Drilon said.

Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara recently filed a resolution before the Senate, seeking to look into the alleged overcharging by taxi drivers at the NAIA.

"Transportation and airport officials should look into this and resolve this right away, or else Philippine tourism will suffer," Angara said.