(From L-R) Waterfront Hotel HR. Cely Osumo, taxi drivers Frankie Bautista, Cayo dela Pena, Warlito Gonzales and Hotels chief security retired Army Col. Rene Rerenal (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
IN his three years as a taxi driver, 45-year-old Warlito Gonzales works by one simple rule: never take anything that’s not yours.
He and fellow taxi drivers Frankie Bautista and Cayo dela Peña received certificates with the words “Honest Taxi Driver” printed on it by the management of Marco Polo Hotel during the 888 News Forum yesterday.
“(I don’t really want things that are not mine. If there are things that are left in my taxi, I would return it to where I dropped off my passenger. That has been my principle in life,” Gonzales, a resident of barangay Lorega, Cebu City, said.
Benefits
Two other recipients, Juanito Moldes and Ronnet Manguiran, were also given certificates but were unable to attend the ceremony.
Bautista, a taxi driver for six years and a resident of barangay Bacayan Cebu City, said he also returns the items left by his passengers.
“There have been a lot of times when things are left in my taxi. I personally return their things),” Bautista said in Cebuano.
Marco Polo HR manager Cely Osumo said the drivers also each received gift certificates and an undisclosed amount of cash.
The hotel’s chief security officer Rene Ferenal said the hotel has an association of taxi drivers with at least 60 active members.
““We consider them partners. We provide them with other benefits like a restroom, shower room that they can use even at night time,” Ferenal said.