Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 13) — The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Thursday said it has launched an investigation into the taxi overcharging incident involving Joshua Hong of K-pop boy band Seventeen.
“As of the moment, the MIAA is conducting a parallel investigation and is in touch with Mr. Joshua Hong to confirm if the incident happened within the airport premises,” it said.
The K-pop idol has yet to respond to the MIAA’s inquiry.
According to the South Korean network SBS, Hong revealed in a live stream that a taxi driver charged him “three times more” than the fare he was supposed to pay during an unplanned trip to Manila in September with his mother.
“We got into a taxi, thinking that they would accept cards, but it was cash-only. I panicked,” Hong recalled.
“The taxi driver asked for like a thousand something in the Philippine peso, and I later found out that I had paid like three times more,” he added.
The K-pop star said that they originally planned to go to Da Nang, Vietnam but failed due to visa issues they only learned about at the airport. They decided to head to Manila instead.
Upon arriving in Manila, Hong said he was not able to withdraw money as his card did not work in all ATMs at the airport.
He also shared that he went to a convenience store in Manila and said, “It was cash-only too. Unbelievable, isn’t it?”
“I’m not saying that Manila is a bad place to travel. I’m just sharing my own experience, and that is what sort of thing that could happen to you if you go on a trip without making any plans in advance,” Hong stressed.
After Hong’s experience quickly circulated online, the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board issued a statement condemning the taxi overcharging incident and warned public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers to stop overcharging passengers, whether local or foreign.
Seventeen successfully held their two-day sold-out “Be The Sun” concert in Manila last Oct. 8-9.
