The holiday rush is here, and with a couple of weeks or so to go before Christmas, traffic has only continued to worsen in Metro Manila. It’s gotten harder to move around, and with traffic jams in every business district, taxi and TNVS rides have also started to get pricier.
In preparation for the peak Christmas rush and to protect the commuting public, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is making some moves. It has announced that it will be coming out with a Memorandum Circular which penalizes snobbish or isnabero taxi and TNVS drivers who refuse or cancel rides for the sole reason of avoiding traffic.
“May mga pagpupulong with the TNCs, na kukunin namin ’yung mga violators or ’yung mga nagka-kansel ng booking. Kasi po mga karamihan na mga drivers or TNC operators, ang sinasabi nilang rason is traffic. May traffic naman [kahit] saan.” said Lopez. “’Wag na lang po sila lumabas kung ganun, at mas mabawasan pa ’yung traffic.”
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Lopez also added that the agency has advised the Land Transportation Office to investigate the legal basis of surge pricing. He said it should be deferred for the holiday season, or even removed if necessary. There will be a public consultation to be held this week regarding the matter.
“Ang parati kong sinasabi, ’pag pumasok ka sa ganitong klaseng trabaho, this is imbued with public interest,” said Lopez. “Ibig sabihin hindi lang mas mataas na antas na hinihingi namin sa inyo pagdating sa pag-iingat—’yung sinasabi nating extraordinary diligence—pero humihingi rin kami ng mas mataas na antas ng obligasyon at responsibilidad.”
