A Taxi Ride in the City
There are three reasons why I may never drive a car for the rest of my life. Firstly, my automobile skills are as hazardous to the rest of mankind as to myself; secondly, I don’t have the industry to save enough for a car; and finally, even if I grow thrifty enough to be able to afford one, I’d still rather pay the premium offered by a simple taxi ride.
There are cheaper and more convenient modes of transportation in Manila. The city train (MRT), when applicable to the journey, will get me swiftly from point A to point B. And then there’s the bus, and the tricycle, and the pedicab. When the wallet is dreary and thin, there’s the flamboyant, crowded jeepney – these chrome wagons of the third world. Yet my having lived in Manila for over two decades somehow nurtured a preference for taxis. Is the fare obscene? Sometimes. Do all meters work? Allegedly not. But it seems that I don’t mind, for I’ve very much enjoyed the unique pleasure of stepping into the backseat of a taxi, test-slapping the cushion, and announcing my destination as importantly as possible.
Remarkable, how so many drivers share the same listening preferences. During mornings it is either Mike Enriquez or Korina Sanchez delivering the latest political news and transgressions. And by the late afternoon, up until the evening commute, drivers will have tuned in to Love Radio, with its grassroots music, novelty anthems, and corny but funny jokes. It appears that only those fifty and older are discovered listening to RJ Classics or some classic rock or jazz station.
Not that the music matters, it’s just – well, check that. The music matters, at least to me as a passenger, and if a driver doesn’t have anything better than David Pomeranz and Hasselhoff to listen to, then the ten-peso tip is off. Gladly, very, very few get obnoxious with the volume; at least taxi drivers are well-equipped with the decency to avoid turning up the radio such as only hip-hop youths with neon racing car stickers on their Honda Civics are capable. For this I believe I have become an optimistic passenger.
One-sixth of the time, the radio isn’t on. It doesn’t actually work another one-sixth. In any case, I remain quiet, glancing now and then at the reflection of the meter in the passenger window and then at the stoplight which won’t turn green until I say a prayer. Or I close my eyes. I think scattered thoughts. To break the silence, the taxi driver may strike a conversation, usually political in nature, not always for the sake of correctness but always with honesty. One said to me the other day, “I won’t say the authorities have done a helluva job, but I’m just happy the traffic in Commonwealth Avenue is actually moving now. Rush hours, it didn’t use to.”
Better to be the listener in most cases, though, as it is priceless to hear profanity-laced eyewitness accounts of the most recent rally in Ayala Avenue and Welcome Rotunda, or which girlie bars the fun-loving government officials are known to frequent. I’d usually mutter a comment or two, nothing insightful really, just so I would appear abreast of whatever it is that has been happening to the country. Otherwise I don’t have an opinion.
I stammer when a driver would ask me what I do for a living. “I, uh, I – hmm, I write,” I’d say. He’d then have this peculiar look, with gathered eyebrows, questioning the existence of successful authors and waiting for the punch line of a joke he hasn’t yet heard. At times, I would wish I just lied – tell him I was an eighteen year-old philosophy major or something – and get over the anxiety of waiting for a reaction, no questions asked. Or maybe I could say I worked in a call center or was a barista in Starbucks.
But I find out always, though belatedly, that the taxi drivers in Manila are underrated for their poise. Their follow-up statement is oftener a compliment than a second question. They’d ask no more and instead offer warm peanuts to snack on: rich in protein and a couple of anti-aging ingredients. I always respectfully decline and would be left with the feeling that my declining was expected anyway. As the taxi makes a left turn, the last one before we reach my house, I’d scramble for the pesos in my left back pocket, smiling at the thought of having safely reached my destination.
Hi Migs, nice read but you don’t mention the constant hassles that we get in Manila with taxis, they sometimes don’t want to take where you want to go as it isn’t where they want to go, won’t take you when it’s raining unless you agree a fixed price and last but not least insisting on an addition to the meter price because there is “traffic”… hey we live in Manila when is there no traffic !!
As you can see taxis are my biggest bugbear living here, I was overjoyed this week to read about the 19 taxi drivers that were caught in a police undercover operation for doing the things that I described above. Their licenses were suspended and they got a 1000p fine…. and fully deserved I may add…… since then it has been quite pleasant to use a cab without having an arguement about using the meter…. I know it won’t last but it is nice for now.
Sorry I couldn’t post something nice… but it’s my truth.
Nice to see someone writing in Manila’s favour for a change… keep it coming.
Hi Migs, great post and very true. About the listening preferences, I totally agree. RJ Classics Manila is almost the same, then the station here in Davao City, where I was radio host for a couple of years. Also all your statements about the taxi drivers are true. Dare me, my two brothers-in-law are taxi drivers here in Davao City…
Hi Gerry, the constant hassles in Manila are unfortunately true. But one can experience this also in Cebu or meanwhile also in Davao…
Hi there Migs, your experiences as a filipino taxi passenger sound very different to mine as a white foreigner passenger. I love many things about the Philippines, but for me, my experiences with Manila taxi drivers have left me rather cold. 9 times out of 10 the driver has attempted to rip me off in one way or another. Usually it is a lie about the meter not working, even when they have assured me as I get in that it will be a metered fare. Then they try to distract you from the fact that the meter is not on until you absolutely insist that they sort it out. Myself and my friend John have even been in the situation where we were driving along Roxas Boulevard, having only just got in the taxi, discovered that the driver was NOT going to put on the meter for anyone, and upon us insisting that he stop and let us out he would not!! He put his foot down on the accelerator and just continued to argue and act as though he did not understand English. The only way we resolved the situation was, as we hurtled along the highway, I opened the back passenger door wide open, indicating I was going to jump out!!
I really dislike taking a taxi in Manila, but unfortunately there are few alternatives if you have bags and luggage. Having said that, i know not all drivers are like that, there are some very good ones too. I just seem to have missed them.
In general I have found the drivers in Davao city more reasonable. Yeah there have been one or two “naughty ones” but mostly my experiences there have been favourable.
But for me, nothing will beat nipping around on my motorbike.
Hi Steve – on a driver like that, do what I do. The law is that you have to pay the driver the fare that is displayed on the meter. If he refused to turn the meter on, just ride with him where you are going, and pay what the meter says – ZERO. That gets the driver’s attention, no doubt.
Hi everyone: Thank you for pointing out that there are just as many horror stories of taxi rides as good ones. I wanted to talk about what may be the good points of riding a taxi here, but with the awareness that many drivers in Manila can be very unscrupulous. Especially to expats.
One thing we can do about it is take only the most reliable and safest transport service companies such as MGE, EMP, R&E. The taxis from these companies almost always have their meters on. And they usually have posters of the company’s rules and regulations and contact information on the back of each front seat, so that if the driver does something shady, the passenger can easily complain. It’s not a perfect arrangement but it’s better than with independent operators, whose drivers are known to take advantage of the unassuming and the unaware.
(Having said that, the taxi drivers outside Manila are very, very reasonable, though. I mean, compared to this city I’m in.)
Hi Migs, thanks for your last comment, which completed your excellent post very well. That’s the point. Salamat.
Hi Klaus: Thank you very much for your kind note. Don’t worry; if you ever find yourself in Manila, I’ll make sure you aren’t victimized by our taxi drivers. The taxi drivers in Davao treated me very well.
Cheers!!!
Hi Bob, yes that’s a very good point, I hadnt thought of that one. That sounds like a really good idea and I might even have the last laugh!!
Hi Steve – Yep, I believe that you can have the last laugh. When the driver doesn’t turn on the meter, I ask him to turn it on one time, no more. If he doesn’t turn it on, he has a surprise coming at the destination!
Hi Migs, that’s good know. I have to be in Manila maybe twice in near future… THANKS A LOT!!!
well written piece, migs. nice touch on observations about taxi radio habits.
Growing up in Manila, I had a love-hate relationship with Taxicabs. I loved the fact that I could get from place to place quickly (as opposed to jeepneys) yet I dreaded all the bad things you hear about taking the cabs – from drivers taking advantage of passengers to the robberies/rape that take place. As such, I became careful to the point of paranoia that every cab I’d board, the first thing I’d check is the license plate number painted on the inside of the car and MEMORIZE it! In between short mumbled prayers and making sure that I still had control of the door locks, I’d quietly recite the license plate in my head. Crazy, I know but if you’re a single woman taking a cab by yourself in the city, you can never be too careful!
Hi Macky: Thanks very much for the kind words! It’s hard not to notice the taxi drivers’ habits – especially here in Manila where they are so notorious!
Hi Mia: I’ve gotten into the habit of memorizing their plate numbers, too. You’re right: one can never be too careful.
Cheers!
Im 100% filipino living here in TOkyo, and from time to time I go to Manila for visiting my parents and sometimes for business trip. In general, the Manila taxi drivers are the worst in the world. I have been to many countries both 1st and third world countries but I consider that taxi drivers of my own city where I grew up are the worst.. OF course not all of them, maybe 2 out of ten are nice guys.. SO please beware tourists in Manila or prospective visitors.. and for those opportunistic taxi dirvers of Manila, grow up.. you are a shame of Filipino people.. In tagalog, NAKAKAHIYA KAYO!!!