I had an experience last week that kind of surprised me. On Friday afternoon, I decided that it was about time to go have a haircut, so I headed to the barber shop. It was about 4pm by the time I went there, and I knew that by the time I finished and got ready to go home, it would be rush hour. For some reason, traffic has been terrible in Davao lately, so I opted to take a taxi instead of driving myself.
The taxi driver was a friendly fellow, in his mid 30’s, I’d guess. We encountered a lot of traffic even on our way to the barber shop, so the trip took a little longer than I had expected, thus the price of the trip was a bit more than normal. He used the meter, so he was being fair on the pricing… no monkey business – so I’m not complaining that the fare was a bit higher.
When we arrived at our destination, the meter read P57. I pulled out my wallet, got a P100 bill and handed it to the driver. He pulled out a wad of money from his pocket. He had a bunch of P100 bills and a couple of P50s. He looked at me and said “Sorry sir, no change.” Well, I really expected things to start getting interesting at this point.
You see, pulling the “no change” trick is a favorite way for taxi drivers to get a big tip from foreigners. Usually a foreign rider will put up a bit of an argument, but finally just give the P100 and tell the driver to keep the change. He probably won’t like it, but giving up P43 as a tip won’t kill him. Because of this, a lot of taxi drivers, even if they really do have change, will say that they don’t, trying to get that extra large tip.
I looked back at the taxi driver, and showed him that I also had no change, just a P50 and some P100 notes.
The next move of the driver shocked me…. he looked at me very sincerely, took the P50 from my hand, and said – “It’s OK, sir… next time just give me a tip.” So, he actually took LESS than what was on the meter!
I have heard of this happening with Filipino passengers, but I didn’t think that a taxi driver would ever do this with a foreigner, so I was quite surprised!
You know, taxi drivers are probably the people that most foreigners complain about more than any other group. Often times the complaints are deserved too. But, this experience showed me that not all taxi drivers are out to steal or rip off foreigners.
That taxi driver made my day, and over just 7 Pesos!
Bob,
I had a similar and nice experience. We had a heavy purchase. With our purchases that day I knew I had only 500 peso notes. As I was lifting the box, the sales clerk came over to carry it out of the mall to our car.
I told him it was ok since I had no cash to tip him for his work.
He just smiled to me and wished me a Merry Christmas.
At times at the mall, if the clerk sees us, he still gives us a big smile and says hello and askes how we are. I had on one of these occasions tried to give him the past due tip and he just says "no Sir, it was my pleasure to help you"
As you have found, there are so many honestly nice people here in the Philippines and I enjoy meeting and talking to all I meet.
Hi Bruce – Yes, there are so many friendly people here! Sometimes people are so shy that it is hard for them to let that friendliness shine through, but when they do it is like a ray of sunshine! It sounds like you are enjoying your time here!
Glad you wrote about this Bob … indeed the "taxi cheated me" refrain is so oervasisve on many groups that I just don't read them any more.
Are there taxi drivers who 'gouge'? You better believe it, and for people who take the time to have Filipino friends you'll find that the 'gouging' is not restricted to foreigners.
But the huge percentage of taxi drivers are kind and honest .. I've written before about how my wife owes her original US visa to the ehlp of a taxi driver and even her life to aquick thinking taxi driver who didn't even hang around to be given his earned fare, let alone a tip.
A few months ago we bought a wall-oven at the mall … it was pretty big, barely fit into my Adventure, and the two fellows who helped me ahd to take a circuitous route across the mall and back again becuase of where I was parked.
When they finally got it in the car I found I had no money at all … I had just given my wife what I didn't realize was the last notes in my wallet. I tected her and started walking back to the store with them, hopng i could find Mita and get soething for these guys. I explained what I was doing to them and they said to me, "Oh sir, it's no problem, our job is to be of service."
I'm as great believer in the self-fulfilling prophecy … that is, you get what you expect to get. I think many foreigners would have a whole new experience in the Philippines if they got up one morning and just said to themselves, just for one day I am going to walk out my door _without_ expecting to be cheated because I am a foreigner … just try to spend 24 hours sometime without going over in your mind how different you are to 'them' … just a theory of mine, but you might be surprised … and at worst you'll get cheated anyway … which you already expected, so no biggie.
I learned a long time ago to have exact change at all times. Normally I give the driver a 10P tip when I ride a taxi (which is getting rarer these days) but if I get the "no change" BS story then haha they get exact change and no tip. Yeah I'm sure there's a few out there that are honest but frankly I'm tired of being inconvenienced because I am a foreigner.
Thanks Louis,I couldn't have said,or done it any better.
Hi Dave Starr – I agree with you. As foreigners here, I think that many of us are "always on the lookout" for another rip-off. In honesty, I don't think it happens that often. In most cases, I think that if we "put down our guard" and just look to interact with people in a friendly way, we will be pleasantly surprised.
Hi Louis – I don't carry exact change, because I don't like carrying coins. When I get coins, I either give them to my wife or kids in most cases. So, I will generally have an assortment of bills. It's been rare that I've been ripped off by a taxi driver. In my 8 years of living here, I can only remember an outright attempt at a rip off one time, and I dealt with that in a way that caused the rip off not to happen. Yeah, I've had the "no change sir" thing happen a few times, but even that has been rare. I will say, though… I generally drive my own car, so I only ride taxis rarely.
Hi Guy – Do you feel that taxi drivers rip you off, or attempt to often?
You know who I have the utmost respect for over here because of their general honesty? Jeepney drivers… there are many times I have passed a 10P coin to the driver expecting no change because, let's face it, I'm a big guy… only to be suprised at getting my 3P change passed back to me. 4K must be a long trip because I rarely have to pay more than 7P for a ride. I'm getting to the point where I prefer the jeep to taxis. The other day I went from my house in El Rio to Buhangin where the in-laws live. I decided to commute which involves riding the El Rio Jeep to Victoria the the Buhangin Jeep to the in laws. Total cab fare there and back would have been 100P… total Jeepney fare was 28P. That's a big savings… as long as you don't mind a few Filipinos giving a good natured laugh at you, a foreigner, riding a jeepney.
I really like what David said! That is the way I approach life here in the Philippines. I do not expect to get ripped off, and assume the best about the people I meet. There are cheaters and dealers wherever you go, in every country, but the majority are average, nice people who don't rip off strangers. I refuse to go through life being suspicious of everyone I meet!
I think twice we have made a taxi in Manila stop and let us out because they refused to turn on the meter and insisted on using their little chart, even though we asked if they would go by the meter, plus a tip before we got in. Once, again in Manila, I am sure we were in a taxi with a doctored meter and a driver who took the longest possible route! The 'no change' problem can often be solved if you ask them to await so you can run inside to find some change. They either will wait, or find the change.
Speaking the language also goes a long ways toward making you less likely to be ripped off. In Manila, many taxi drivers are Cebuano speakers and are quite amazed to find a foreigner who is friendly and speaks their language. This establishes a relationship of sorts and makes the driver more likely to be helpful. It also means that you should be sure to tip your new friend if he gives you good service. One Cebuano driver (out of many) on our last time in Manila drove us all around Jack Robinson's barn, so that particularly friendly fellow got a long conversation but didn't get a tip.
Hi Louis – I don't generally ride the Jeepney, although I have a few times. When I've ridden it, that has been more out of curiosity rather than for actually transportation. I congratulate you on that, though, because it shows real assimilation into the culture!
Hi AmericanLola – I am with you, I really like Dave's take on the whole thing. And, you are right that there are cheaters everywhere in the world.
Bob – hahaha, thanks, you know I am trying my best but it just seems as of late that I have been getting angrier than usual… every little thing sets me off. I hate to speak ill of the Philippines or anyone over here (especially since I have found out I am 1/4 Filipino) but that's usually the track my tirades take lately. God bless my wife for listening to me when I am ticked off about something, I know I am hard to live with.
Hi Louis – You haven't been here that long yet, and at about this time (a year here or so), almost all of us expats go through a similar situation as what you are describing. Just do your best to ride it out, and your outlook will change. The biggest thing you can do is just learn to accept that things are different here. You won't ever change the 80 Million people here to do things your way, so the best thing you can do is to allow yourself to change in small ways to make the way it is here acceptable to yourself. Don't beat yourself up about it, because I think that every expat goes through what you are experiencing right now.
I think it depends on what city you take the taxi. I think Baguio and Davao are the best, with Cebu coming after that. In Manila they are really bad. I had several who would not go anywhere until you set the price and would not use the meter. I had one who was a pimp and would not stop talking about getting girls for me. There is a big difference between Duterte and Lim (Manila city being the worse in Metro Manila with my limited experience). When you get to Davao airport they make a point on being honest because of Duterte. I think it really turns off foreigners when they get ripped off in Metro Manila when almost every foreigners has to deal with them and how bad it looks on the Philippines.
Bob – 9 Days from now it will officially be my one year anniversary over here so I guess im right on time lol.
Last holiday's in iligan , we went to a kind of restaurant and the girls were so nice , that i gave some peso,s tip.And because they had San Miguel on draft , go there almost every day sometimes only for my beer.
After a week the girl came to me and give me back about 60 peso.
That was the tip i gave them during that week.
She explained to me that her boss NOT WANTED HER to recieve tips.
I wanted to speak with him about it but he came not out.
As we where 5 weeks in iligan , later we saw the girl in town and my wife gave her the money back.
I must say that was the first time it happined to me.But the boy in Gaisano who bring my grocery to the taxi allso refused the tip .
It's weard.
Anton
Hi Neil Hect – To some extent, I think it varies on the city. However, while I am not a big fan of Manila, I also think that we get our impressions too much based on what the airport taxis do. The guys who drive taxi at the airport (not all of them) are the worst of the bunch, because they deal with so many foreigners, and it's almost a culture at the airport that you will be ripped off. I think that if you get away from the airport crowd, the taxi drivers are just as likely to be nice people as they are in other places.
Hi Louis – Yep, it kicks in around that time!
Hi Anton – Very interesting story! I have also had boys at the stores refuse tips when I've offered too. It's an interesting culture!
Hi Bob! Cab drivers in manila round off the fare so like if the taxi meter shows 85 pesos and you give 100 pesos, they round it off to 90 and give you just 10 pesos. So the first time i rode a cab in davao, i was so surprised to see he gave me the proper change. In gensan, since the taxi as a means to go around is not popular, cab drivers ask for an add-on to the meter or ask for a flat fee.
"Please allow me to introduce myself"
Hello to Bob,Feyma.Family and all that view and post on this wonderful site. I have been viewing this site for appx 1 year now and I figure I may as well introduce myself before I post any replies/comments.
Im just a simple former U.S. Marine that is married to my Filipina wife for 23 years, she is originally from Davao City, our only son is in his last year of college so now we are putting some serious thought into our plans for early retirement in the Philippines. For years now we wanted to return to the Pi for a visti, but the life of a working class stiff here in the US along with paying for college has prevented that. The last time we were in the PI was 1983. From all the post on this site It seems like we will be in for a big shock when we go back.
Thank You
Neal
Hi Cathy – I didn't know about the rounding off of fares in Manila! It doesn't surprise me, though. BTW, congrats on your new blog!
Hi Neal from R.I. – Welcome aboard (as a commenter, anyway). I'm happy that you decided to join in the discussion. You are completely correct, if you haven't been here in 25 years, you will be in for a huge shock! Whenever you do come back to Davao for a visit, let me know, and I'll enjoy meeting you!
That experience about a taxi driver not having a change in order to get a tip is a good one. The other "trick" that I have experienced was when the driver told me that it was up to me to determine the price. Well, when I was fresh off the plane, the dollar was still fresh in my mind so paying the equivalent of $5 for a trip that cost half the amount hadn't sunk in yet. But I think the phenomenon is not limited to transportation. I think some locals have this mindset that someone from abroad has money to spend and therefore he/she will be priced higher than what the locals pay. Terrible practice.
Hi Aldel – Interesting! And, you are right, it goes beyond just taxis too. Overpricing is a bad practice, but I do feel that it is not as bad as it used to be. If I go to the Palengke, I find that I am usually charged fair prices, the same as what Feyma would be charged.
I make sure I carry change whenever I leave home. It not only allows me to make a fair exchange for goods/services but it allows me to provide a fair tip to the provider. That way, it's smiles all around! 😉
I never go to the palengke unless I'm staying inside a vehicle with heavily tinted windows. Seems as though my "bright, smiling face" affect the prices, or so my asawa sez.
Am gonna miss those P50 haircuts when we leave in a week – heading back to the land of $15 tonsorial torture! Since haircuts this trip were close to Christmas and New Year's, I gave the barber P100 each time with the extra P50 as tip/holiday gift. Second time around, the barber said I didn't need to give such a tip, but the second haircut's quality exceeded the first. 😆
Hi Bob In general i donot find Davao taxi drivers to be conartists. But the taxis themselves most of them should have been turned into razor blades when i was still in nappies.
Hi Paul – Carrying change is a good idea… I hate having a bunch of coins jingling in my pocket, though. 😆 I enjoy going to the Palengke – it's a cultural experience.
Hi Frank Fealey – You'll be a little surprised when you get to Davao. They are starting to replace the older taxis with new and newer units! Aircon is required on the newer taxis too!
Hi Bob!
The same thing happened to me last December.
He said "this is a Christmas Gift, Sir."
Surprised and Grad!
Hi Ichi – I'm glad to hear that you also had a positive experience with Davao Taxi drivers! It's a good sign! 😆