Unfriendly transport service in Cebu

When you visit other parts of the country or the world, you get to learn new things and also compare what is being done there with what we have here.

During an overnight hop to the Province of Bohol we had a pleasant experience with the transportation sector. In fact we were impressed at the efficiency and the honesty of the people there with regards to the fees that have to be paid and the excellent service of the driver.

We’d like to commend Nonoy Galleon, who drove us around the island for a great job. We hope we would meet people like him in other places we visit.

While the wonderful experience in Bohol was still very much in our system, we experience a terrible opposite when we got back home and went out of Pier 1 from the fastcraft to look for land transportation that would take us home.

The taxi drivers were picky about passengers and seem to prefer those who don’t look local.

Most of them would not use their meter and would offer a negotiated rate for the passengers.

There was no system on how the passengers would queue for the taxis.

There were people from the area, who acted like they were going to get a cab for the passengers then would ask money for their services.

After several attempts of hailing a cab, we called our favorite taxi service and we got out of the place still feeling bad about being home, yet feeling like you are being robbed by your own people.

We believe that the Cebu Ports Authority can do something about this in cooperation with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

While many passengers know there is a way to complain, many would not anymore bother thinking that it is just a waste of time and scared that the drivers might get back at them.

If Cebu is really serious about promoting tourism and investment, let us start with having a more efficient system of public transportation for those who are arriving here.

If there was a parking facility like the one at the Waterfront Airport Hotel in Mactan where you can leave your vehicle when you go on a trip, it would help the shipping companies get more business.

Much can still be done and we’re sure that our officials know them but are waiting for the right time to start acting. Maybe they don’t realize that is long overdue.

Let’s do something to make Cebu a better place.

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We would like to welcome Dir. Benjie Go of LTFRB-7 to Cebu. Although the man is no stranger to Cebu, he came from Region 3 and before that was based in General Santos City.

His assignment to Cebu seems to have been well-accepted by the taxi operators and we look forward to a more harmonious relation between the agency and the transport sector.

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For your comments, complaints and suggestions please feel free to contact us at 2531276 or 2538613 local 237.

You can also send email to [email protected].