Not very long ago, Davao City was known to be a place where "Life is Here", not only because of the leaders that head the communities, the sectors, and industries to make all Dabawenyos "disiplinado" but also because of the will and the commitment of every Dabawenyo to be disciplined as they can be.
This has become somewhat the reason Davao City and its leadership have become well-known in the country.
A study made by Saidamin P. Bagolong, entitled Revisiting Davao as a Livable City: A Phenomenological Study shows that in the late 1990s to early 2000s, the city received so many awards, making it the most livable city in the Philippines.
While the big factor of this is the city's leadership, Dabawenyos also play a crucial role in making the city well known for a positive reason.
Taxi drivers back then were not only polite, honest, and accommodating, but they also adhered to policies and regulations set by the government's concerned agencies.
A friend visiting Davao City from Cebu was amazed at how honest her taxi driver was when she was handed out the exact change up to the last centavo. She said she had never experienced it in her city or even in Manila.
But sadly this happened a decade ago.
Of late, commuters have taken to social media their grievances and concerns regarding erring taxi drivers, especially at the Davao International Airport where passengers are heavily loaded with baggage.
One media practitioner, Jon Joaquin, relayed his frustration to Facebook on Sunday, April 21, 2024 after experiencing and witnessing cab drivers doing the "unconventional Davao City taxi drivers'" ways, that he went as far as strictly advising his followers not to take a taxi when they arrive at the DIA.
"one cabbie wanted fixed rate, no meter. i saw another one take two different passengers (sic)," he stated in his post.
Yes, indeed, everybody could ask "what is happening to Davao City?" Do Dabawenyos wait for the leadership to crack its whip?
While we could nag and criticize all we want the city's leadership, it is also imperative that we enforce in ourselves the discipline that the Dabawenyos are known for and have taken pride in.
However, we give our heartfelt gratitude to all the taxi drivers who only give their best service.