The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced Monday that the taxi driver who was caught on video overcharging a passenger at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will have his license revoked.
The now-viral clip showed the driver demanding P1,260 for a trip from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3—an amount DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon slammed as grossly overpriced. Even after lowering it to P1,100 when the passenger tried to negotiate, Dizon said the fare remained unjustifiable. The driver also used his phone to calculate the fare instead of the mandated taxi meter.
Authorities have already impounded the unit at the Land Transportation Office (LTO), while an investigation by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) revealed that the taxi operator, Taxihub Transport, has been running on an expired permit since March 2025. This means all 15 units under its fleet are now classified as “colorum” or illegally operating.
“Medyo malakas din ang loob nila no? Colorum na nga sila, nag-oovercharging pa,” Dizon said in an ABS-CBN News report, warning that those who believe they can act with impunity will now face the full force of the law.
LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III confirmed that the agency has moved to confiscate the license plates of the operator’s taxis to prevent further operations. “Kung ipagpipilitan pa rin nilang ipabiyahe yan, sisiguraduhin po naming mai-impound yung mga taxing yan,” Guadiz said.
A show cause order has been issued, with the LTFRB set to hold a hearing within the week. Guadiz warned that if the firm fails to provide a satisfactory explanation, the suspension could be extended indefinitely.
Taxihub, in a statement, issued an apology and promised a full refund. “We are deeply disheartened by this incident,” the company said, adding that it is conducting its own internal investigation.
Secretary Dizon has also ordered a wider crackdown on abusive taxi drivers and operators, instructing the LTFRB and LTO to work with police and airport authorities to monitor major terminals more strictly.
“Kailangan matuto po kayong lahat—kayong mga operator, driver. Mawawalan kayo ng hanapbuhay pagka tinuloy-tuloy niyo ito,” Dizon said.
He also mentioned plans to coordinate with San Miguel Corporation, which operates NAIA, to boost public transport options, including point-to-point services for travelers transferring between terminals.
