AS MANY have noticed, the new taxi rate charges P2 per minute of total running time unlike before when the meter only charges waiting time. This is on top of the P13.50 every kilometer rate after the P40 flagdown rate.
LTFRB-Davao director lawyer Teresita dela Peña-Yñiguez, in an interview with SunStar Davao, clarified that there is no more waiting time rate, which used to be P3.50 every two minutes of waiting. Instead, the meter will charge every minute that the taxi is engaged.
The new fare will be P13.50 per kilometer from the P3.50 for every 300 meters traveled, Yñiguez said, adding that the passengers should only pay the new rate if the unit is already recalibrated.
LTFRB-Davao said Monday that a total of 981 taxi units were already calibrated in Davao City.
Yniguez said the office is eyeing to calibrate all the 5,500 taxi units here this month.
Yñiguez urged all taxi operators to head to the old airport in Sasa to undergo the recalibration process. She said operators should not wait for further instructions.
"Our personnel are always ready to cater to all taxi units subjected for calibration. They should be there at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Mondays to Fridays. We have set the deadline. They should come," Yñiguez said.
Yñiguez said the increase of the taxi fare was decided October last year but the implementation was delayed because they were waiting for the LTFRB central office to issue guidelines on the matter.
According to an LTFRB memorandum circular, all regional offices except for the National Capital Region (NCR), shall be responsible for the scheduling of the calibration and sealing/resealing of taxi meters within their jurisdiction.
The memorandum also noted that all taxi operators must abide by the guidelines to avoid imposition of penalties prescribed by the agency. Operators are supposed to instruct their drivers on the matter.