PRO-7 eyes PUV drivers overcharging commuters in Cebu

Personnel of the Highway Patrol Group 7 (HPG-7) | PNP Highway Patrol Unit Seven FB Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) is now eyeing drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) who are charging commuters higher fare prices than normal while various major events are taking place in Cebu.

To stop drivers from taking advantage of commuters, police implemented the “Oplan against Abusadong Taxi Drivers.”

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The issue of overcharging drivers, particularly taxi drivers, arose since the start of major national events in Cebu in recent days.

One of these events is the Palarong Pambansa 2024, which drew 20,000 attendees during the opening ceremony on Tuesday, July 9.

Delegates and spectators from different regions arrived in Cebu City for the national sports event.

During this time, authorities began receiving reports of taxi drivers allegedly exploiting visitors. 

In response, the Highway Patrol Group in Central Visayas (HPG-7) conducted simultaneous inspections on Friday, July 12.   

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This was in coordination with the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and Local Territorial Units.

As a result, they caught one taxi driver who reportedly charged P200 instead of the normal P75 for a ride from Pier 1 to the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

Alias “Bebot,” 52, was brought to the HPG-7 headquarters along with his vehicle.

According to police, they will be sending a report of Bebot’s offense to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for the imposition of a possible administrative fine against him.

Moreover, a separate report will be sent to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for the appropriate sanctions for the operator.

Through “Oplan against Abusadong Taxi Drivers,” law enforcers strictly inspected meters of utility vehicles along the road.

In addition, they handed out stickers that indicate the hotline number of HPG-7 where passengers can directly report their overpricing concerns.

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), in a statement, warned erring drivers and operators of the penalties they would be facing when they would be caught.

Passengers are also urged to pay close attention to the metric fares of PUVs in order to promptly report violators to the authorities.

To avoid falling victim to overcharging PUV drivers, here are some tips from HPG-7: 

1. Plan your trips ahead. For those with private vehicles, choose the safest and most convenient routes to your destination.

2. Choose taxi cabs from companies known to give quality service.

3. Keep the door and windows of the vehicle closed at all times. 

4. Avoid entering taxi cabs that have a suspicious appearance or with a driver that’s acting in a suspicious manner.

5. When commuting through taxi cabs, write down the plate number, vehicle body number, and the company.

Passengers can report directly to the HPG-7 hotline: 09162150512.

Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, PRO-7 regional director, assured the public that they would be taking action to prevent these incidents from happening again.

“While most of our PUV drivers in Cebu are honest, the police will be looking at those very few who may take advantage of the situation by overpricing. The PNP and the LTFRB are closely working together to prevent this from happening and rest assured that proactive steps are being taken against these erring drivers,” he said.