New Taxi Metering System in Manila

Commuting by taxi in Manila today is about 33% more expensive than it used to be.  The new flagdown rate is Php40 - a big leap from the old P30 rate.  From the previous Php2.50 rate for every succeeding 300 meters, today's rate has increased to Php3.50.

The new taxi meters also dispense receipts but you might have to remind the driver about it.  It makes us somehow at par with other more developed countries who adapt the same honest metering system and it's a great move to make sure taxi operators pay their taxes, too.

From my usual Php70 taxi fare every morning, I now have to pay around Php90 to get to work.  It's hurting my pocket and affecting my weekly budget that I have to seriously consider taking the long route jeepney rides to save money.  I felt bad at first but then realized that some good can come out of it like the additional steps I can literally take because I need to walk about four blocks to get to the jeepney stop.  That's about 900 steps everyday - yes, I've counted it with a pedometer (",)  And with the new metering machine and system, there'd hopefully be less incidents of taxi drivers taking advantage of their passengers and charging more than what they're due.