11 NAIA taxis, TNVS suspended by LTO due to 'kontrata'

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) recently apprehended and suspended the driver’s licenses of 11 taxi and Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) operating around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for the illegal practice of kontrata.

Kontrata, which literally means “contract”, is the illegal practice of not activating the taxi meter during hired trips for a fixed amount of rate for a particular destination. This practice usually results in a much higher fare than it should.

According to LTO, the agency has been receiving numerous complaints from passengers being overcharged by these exploitative drivers who were preying balikbayans (returning Filipinos from abroad) and tourists, who were being charged between PHP 200 to as much as PHP 700 for a short trip between NAIA terminals 1, 2, and 3.

“We have already suspended a lot of erring taxi and TNVS drivers in the past weeks. Akala yata ng mga ito ay ningas cogon lang ang ginagawa natin, nagkakamali sila at itong 11 na drivers na ito ay patunay na tuloy tuloy ito (They thought that the agency is just good at the start and won’t continue these apprehensions, but they’re wrong and these 11 drivers are proof that it will be a continuous effort),” said LTO Chief, Atty. Vigor Mendoza II.

The suspension of the driver’s license was an offshoot of the recent operation by the joint LTO and the Philippine National Police, through its Aviation Security Group, against taxi and TNVS drivers who are engaged in contracting, snubbing, and overcharging passengers.

The LTO also issued Show Cause Orders (SCOs) to the 11 taxi and TNVS drivers. They were asked to explain why their driver’s license should not be revoked for being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

“We also ordered them to immediately surrender their driver’s licenses. Because of their exploitative practices, it will take a while, or they may no longer work as taxi or TNVS drivers anymore,” added Mendoza.

This LTO action is separate from the legal procedure that will be conducted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in relation to the franchise of the 11 taxis and TNVS.