Ten taxi and TNVS drivers have been slapped with 90-day license suspensions after being caught overcharging and illegally contracting passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced.
The penalties stem from a surprise inspection conducted last June 25, prompted by a string of viral complaints that exposed abusive fare practices at the airport.
According to LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza, show cause orders were issued, officially informing the drivers of their temporary suspension. “In other words, they don’t have work during that period, and this is because of taking advantage of our commuters,” Mendoza said in a statement.
The LTO is also pursuing administrative charges against all involved, classifying them as “improper persons to operate a motor vehicle”—an offense that carries the risk of permanent license revocation.
The agency’s crackdown follows a series of incidents, including a taxi charging P1,300 for a trip from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3, another demanding over P5,000 for a ride from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2, and a motorcycle taxi allegedly charging P2,000 from NAIA to Cainta, Rizal.
Mendoza underscored the gravity of these actions, especially in a setting that often serves as a tourist’s first impression of the Philippines. “We will not let this kind of abuse pass. If this can be done to our constituents, what more to our foreign tourists. This can be bad for the image of our country,” he said.
To prevent further incidents, LTO officers have now been deployed to monitor all three terminals of NAIA.
