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(Update – September 11, 2017) While the official chart was posted together with the original article, it seems that it has only added to more confusion. And so after an extensive dialogue with the cab companies’ management, we were able to obtain a more thorough explanation of the taxi fare matrix.
For example, a trip directly from the Main Gate Terminal to the Lighthouse Marina Resort should only cost PhP50 since the Lighthouse is within the Central Business District. On the other hand, a trip from Kalayaan Heights to the Subic International Airport would cost PhP320.
The computation for the above is as follows: PhP80 for the phone booking fee for Kalayaan plus PhP120 for the distance that the vehicle has travelled from the Main Gate Terminal (seen on the chart as the transport fee for Kalayaan) plus another PhP120 for the distance the vehicle must travel to return to the terminal (seen on the chart as the airport transport fee)
However, if the cab was flagged from the road instead of being phoned in, the total cost for the same trip should only be PhP240: PhP120 for the Kalayaan transport fee and an additional PhP120 for the airport transport fee.
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| The official taxi fare chart from the SBMA Motor Vehicle Registration Office captioned for a clearer explanation. For complaints and further clarification, please call 0917-552-0071 or (047) 252-4249 / 4663 / 4315 |
The same computation becomes quite ridiculous and overly expensive in several instances. For instance, a trip from Royal Choices to Union Bank would cost PhP130 (PhP100 if flagged from the street). Although the two structures are practically in front of each other the passenger still has to pay both the transport fee for Union Bank and Royal Choices, which is PhP50 each. Another case in point is a cab ride from Ocean Adventure to Zoobic Safari, both of which are within the West Ilanin Forest District. Despite the fact that it should only be a ten-minute trip, the total cost is a staggering PhP 900 – PhP100 for the booking fee, PhP400 for the Ocean Adventure Fee, and an extra PhP400 for the Zoobic Safari transport fee.
As a result, most drivers choose to mark down their prices, knowing that their passengers will not be willing to pay such exorbitant amounts. However, since the complicated system of rates and fees does not cover such things, fare computation becomes completely arbitrary. The fact that there seems to be an overabundance of taxis in the Freeport also make matters worse as cabbies are driven to resort to underhanded practices to make ends meet.
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| A crowd of cabs at the Kalaklan Terminal – quite a lot more than necessary? |
In our honest opinion, it would seem that an overhaul of the existing system should be prioritized. The public, the taxi companies and the government should sit down and determine a scheme that would be beneficial to all parties involved. And maybe instead of a chart, wouldn’t it be more convenient for everyone if all taxis use meters?
What do you think?
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(Original article) The Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) is not quite as big as the Republic of Singapore. It only is 67,452 hectares compared to Singapore's 71,191. Nevertheless, it is still a very expansive - even expensive, as some might say - area to travel around in.
From the one end of Waterfront Road populated with world-renowned hotels like Lighthouse Marina Resort and Interpark Hotel to other side where government agencies such as the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Commission on Audit, and the Post office can be located, not to mention the innumerable theme parks, pristine beaches and tourist attractions strewn across the many districts of the Freeport, anybody would be hard-pressed to run out of places to visit and sights to see.
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| The Main Gate taxi terminal in front of the Subic Bay Gymnasium. |
As such, a huge swath of Subic Bay’s thoroughfares and walkways are filled to the brim with traffic day in and day out – especially so during long weekends. And unless you have a private vehicle with you, it is very likely that you will have to resort to taking public transportation to get around.
While there are buses and coasters that offer their services to the public, these are scheduled and tend to take longer to get to their destinations and so, most who wish a faster and more private means of passage prefer to use a taxi vehicle.
A point of major contention however, is the arbitrariness of taxi fares - because unlike other taxi services in the country, cabs in the Freeport do not have or implement a meter service.
It is not a rare occurrence for passengers to be overcharged by cab drivers, knowingly or unknowingly. So not a day goes by without people, workers and tourists alike, wondering what really should be the proper fare amount.
While that information can be obtained by calling the taxi booking service and can be found occasionally posted inside the vehicle, that knowledge is yet to be truly widespread and within easy access of first-time visitors
And so for the benefit of everyone and for posterity’s sake, here is the latest taxi fare matrix for SBFZ (courtesy of MEGATAXI):
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