Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — A certain Joanna Garcia filed a complaint last week against taxi driver Roger Catipay, who she caught on video threatening her after she refused to pay more than the metered fare.
Garcia, whose video went viral on social media, said on Tuesday (January 12) she expects the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to decide on her case against Catipay sometime soon.
Her complaint is only one of pending cases against supposed abusive taxi drivers before the LTFRB. For taxi operators, incidents similar to Garcia’s can be avoided if the agency imposes stricter penalties against the drivers.
Related: Victim files against abusive taxi driver
Philippine National Taxi Operators Association president Bong Suntay said taxi drivers, even after a complaint is filed against them, are not held accountable for their actions.
“Unless i-penalize nila ang driver separately from operator hindi ma-didisiplina yung driver,” said Suntay. “Ang nangyayari kasi ganito, may arrogant driver, iko-complain, ipapatawag yung operator. Pagdating dito then mag-i-impose sila ng penalty sa operator, then yung driver goes cut free.”
But the LTFRB insisted it is the operators’ responsibility to police their employees.
“Obligation pa rin ng operators na mag-employ ng kanilang drivers who will be able to comply with their duty to transport passengers safely. Hindi dun natatapos, kundi sa kanilang pagsupervise,” said LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez.
Related: Dealing with abusive taxi drivers
Ginez added, however, that the LTFRB can put an abusive taxi driver, if proven guilty, on a blacklist which operators can access on the agency’s database.
A group of taxi drivers, meantime, explained high boundary rates is the reason why some of their members are tempted to demand more than the metered fare.
“Lalo na ngayon may kalaban na kami, Uber at Grab, sa gabi wala na kami pasahero napunta na sa kanila, ang nauuwi namin nasa 500 na lang, 24 hours yun,” Fermin Octobre, president of Dumper Philippines Taxi Drivers Association, said. “Sobrang pagod hindi hanap buhay, hanap patay na yung katawan namin.”
They want the LTFRB to review the boundary system. Suntay said, however, the existing boundary rates are fair and has not changed since 2001.
Related: LTFRB warns against dishonest taxi drivers
