Commuters hail Makati for helpful taxi stands

Makati Mayor Elenita Binay said commuters in the Makati Central Business District have but praises for the newly-installed taxi stands.

Binay said the establishment of taxi loading and unloading zones provided great relief to the commuters who in the past had to beat other commuters for a ride.

The scheme was implemented through Ordinance No. 200-056 in response to complaints of commuters about the rampant and illegal practice of taxi drivers who refuse to convey passengers.

"The ordinance is in response to complaints regarding choosy drivers who take advantage of inclement weather and the Yuletide season," Binay said.

Hermenegildo San Miguel, chief of the Makati Public Safety Department (formerly MAPSA), said the MAPSA, in coordination with the Ayala Commercial Center Association (ACCA), and the Makati Police Traffic Unit were tasked to implement the ordinance.

San Miguel said eight strategic areas within the commercial center were selected for the taxi stands. These are East Drive (beside Shoemart Mall), Rizal Drive, Glorietta Mall, Greenbelt Square, Greenbelt Drive, Ayala Center Terminal, South Drive and Landmark department store.

San Miguel said that at present, Shoemart and Landmark department stores have taxi stands that started operations last Oct. 10. "In order to maintain order in these taxi stands, two MAPSA traffic enforcers are dispatched to apprehend taxi drivers who pick-up passengers outside the taxi stands. A MAPSA female enforcer is assigned to take note of the taxi’s name, plate number, driver and operator’s name and thephone number," San Miguel said.

‘This piece of paper is given to the passenger along with the telephone numbers of MAPSA, Ayala Center Association and the Makati Police Traffic Unit so he/she could call or inform them if the driver commits any violation or refuses to convey them to their destinations," San Miguel said.

San Miguel said taxi stands in other areas will be operational once further improvements have been made.