The forum was participated in by taxi drivers and operators in the city, along with officials from the CTTMO, CAAP, LTFRB XI, LTO XI, and the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO).
CTTMO Head, PCol. Dionisio Abude (Ret.), said in an interview with the City Information Office that the CTTMO, CAAP, and LTFRB created a set of guidelines for taxi drivers in response to the recurring issue of contracting and overcharging by taxi drivers at the Davao International Airport.
“Naa’y mga gimugna nga mga guidelines, gihimo kani sa LTFRB, CAAP, AVSEO, ug CTTMO, ug sa City government para maundang katong mga panghitabo nga medyo nadehado ang atoang mga pasahero, ang atoang mga bisita nga muanhi sa Davao , dili lang kay mga bisitia ultimo ang atoang mga sumasakay diri sa Davao City is nabiktima tungod aning dili maayo nga ginahimo sa pipila lang ka mga taxi driver,” Abude said.
Taxi drivers are expected to follow the guidelines which include queuing at the designated holding area after receiving queue cards from the guard-on-duty; using the right lane and submitting to security inspections; staying inside their taxi units while queuing and will only disembark to help load the luggage of passengers; the prohibition of negotiation of prices with passengers; wearing of uniform and proper grooming; and unloading of passengers at the designated unloading areas.
Passengers will also receive a “complaint stub” from airport personnel upon boarding a taxi. The stub will be checked at the DIA exit point.
Taxi drivers with pending passenger complaints shall be penalized under existing laws and ordinances of the city.
Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said in a message delivered by Abude that the forum intends to “deliver an important message in the taxi business about the importance of reliable and safe transportation services to the general public, especially those individuals who are unfamiliar with the city.”
LTFRB RXI Regional Director, Nonito A. Llanos III, also said in his speech during the forum that taxi operators should not abuse the privilege to operate a taxi business in the city. He urged taxi operators to remind their drivers of their responsibility as transportation service providers, which is to provide convenient, affordable, safe, and accessible transportation to passengers.
Land Transportation Office Region XI (LTO RXI ) Director Eleanor Calderon also said that they will deputize the LTFRB, allowing the office to conduct apprehensions on franchise-related violations.
The City government is urging taxi operators and drivers anew to be responsible, abide by the traffic and transportation rules in the city, and not get involved with bad practices like overcharging and contracting of passengers. CIO
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