BAGUIO CITY – The riding public will soon enjoy the reduced flagdown rate of taxi cabs following the nationwide order of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to cut down the existing fare.
Department of Transportation and Communication Secretary Joseph Abaya said the LTFRB has ordered to cut the flagdown rate of taxis due to the series of rollbacks in fuel prices.
For Baguio City, the permanent flag-down rate will be P30 with P2.00 charge for the first 400 meters and P2.00 for every succeeding 400 meters and P2.00 for the waiting time per 60 seconds.
Currently, taxi fare has a P2.00 charge for the first 400 meters and P2.00 for every succeeding 200 meters and P2.00 per 90 seconds for waiting time.
In Metro Manila and other cities that offer taxi services, flag-down will be P30.00 and the rate from P3.50 per succeeding 300 meters, ordinary cabs will charge P3.50 per succeeding 500 meters.
From the original P3.50 per 120 seconds rate for waiting time, it will be down to P3.50 per 90 seconds. Ordinary cabs will still charge P3.50 for the first 500 meters.
Airport cabs’ flag-down rate, on the other hand, will also be lowered from P70 to P60. From the original P4 per succeeding 300 meters, airport cabs will now charge P4 per succeeding 500 meters. It will also charge P4 per 90 seconds instead of the original P4 per 120 seconds. Airport cabs will still charge P4 for the first 500 meters.
Abaya, who was in the city to attend to DOTC concerns in the Cordillera region, said the new permanent taxi rates will be effective on March 19 even if taxi meters are not calibrated and re-sealed yet.
Consumers should subtract the P5.00 from the original fare. But this has become a problem since most of the taxi drivers do not give back the P5.00 so the DOTC and LTFRB are keen on the re-calibration on all taxi meters.
Calibration of taxi meters will start in April for plates ending in 2, 4, and 9. Plates ending in 5, 7, and 0 are scheduled in May. The remaining plates are scheduled in June.
Taxi operators who fail to calibrate and seal/reseal their taxi meters will be penalized P5,000. Taxi units not following the new approved rates will also be penalized P5, 000./JDP/RMC- PIA CAR
