DOTr eyes raps vs. operator of taxi that charged P1k for NAIA

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday said authorities are seeking to file charges against the operator of the taxi driver who charged his passengers P1,260, after discovering that all taxis under the operator are colorum vehicles.

“Sa may ari ng Taxihub Transport, makakasuhan kayo ngayon kasi pinayagan ninyong lumabas at mamasada ang isang taxi na wala nang prangkisa, na wala na palang authority,” Dizon said in a briefing. 

(To the owner of Taxihub Transport, you can now be held liable because you allowed a taxi to operate without a franchise, without proper authority.)

“So magpapadala na ng show cause ang LTFRB at kakasuhan sila. At may penalty na ‘yan. And posibleng matanggal ang prangkisa nitong si Taxihub Transport. ‘Yung buong fleet, ah,” he added.

(So the LTFRB will now send a show cause order and file charges. There’s already a penalty for that. And it’s possible that Taxihub Transport’s franchise could be revoked. This covers the entire fleet.)

Dizon said the franchise of all 15 taxis under the operator have been expired since March 2025.

LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III, meanwhile, said he has ordered an executive director to reclaim their license plates.

This came after one of the taxis was caught in a viral video charging P1,260 for fare from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 to Terminal 2.

According to Dizon, the license of the driver will be revoked and has been suspended.

“Mensahe ito sa lahat ng taxi driver. Kapag kayo nahuli at na-videohan kayo… ito din ang mangyayari sa inyo. Kaya ang advise ko na lang sa inyo, ‘wag niyo na gagawin ‘yun. Kasi ito ang mangyayari sa inyo,” he said.

(This is a message to all taxi drivers: if you get caught and are recorded on video… the same thing will happen to you. So my advice to you is, don’t do it—because this is what will happen to you.)

Dizon said he is directing the Land Transportation Office and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to coordinate with the Manila International Airport Authority, the New NAIA Infra Corp., and the Philippine National Police against overcharging taxis at the country’s airports and ports.

“And, again, I'm encouraging and asking ‘yung mga kababayan natin na gawin ‘yung ginawa nung pasahero dito kay Transporthub Taxi na vinideo niya ‘yung pang aabuso sa kanya nung taxi driver. So mag clamp down tayo,” he said.

(And, again, I'm encouraging and asking the public to copy what the passenger of Transporthub Taxi did, video the abuse of the taxi driver.) 

GMA News Online asked Taxihub Transport for comment but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, the Taxihub Transport said it is already conducting an investigation into the matter. —Joahna Lei Casilao/AOL, GMA Integrated News