Is there much Transport Crime in the Philippines?

[ASEAN NOW News]

Crime in public transport covers a bewildering variety of offenses committed in forms of transport including trams, buses, subways, commuter trains, taxis, and jitneys.

 

The targets of crime can be the system itself (as in vandalism or fare evasion), employees (as in assaults on ticket collectors), or passengers (as in pickpocketing or overcharging).

 

A distinction must be made between crimes facilitated by overcrowding and by lack of supervision.

 

Both are the result of financial constraints, plaguing all forms of public transport, which result in too little space for passengers at busy periods and not enough staff to supervise vehicles and facilities at other times. 

 

Taxis

 

Disreputable taxi drivers are notorious for overcharging fares, especially from transportation hubs and tourist attractions.

 

Almost all taxis have meters, and most drivers use them, though they might take a circuitous route if they suspect that you aren’t familiar with the area.

 

Some scoundrels have doctored meters, which click at an alarmingly fast pace; if you suspect that you’ve accepted a ride from one of these taxis, tell them to immediately let you out, pay the fare, then hail a different taxi.

 

These drivers usually lurk around train or bus stations. When in doubt, walk a block or two away from the station and then hail a taxi; drivers are far more likely to be honest.

 

Ideally, it is best to use one of the taxi companies with a long-standing reputation for hiring honest drivers.

 

File photo

 

First launched in the Philippines in 2012, Grab has grown from a ride-hailing service to a super app supporting Filipinos every day.

 

GrabExpress is available in most areas of Metro Manila, as well as in Pampanga, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, CDO, Dumaguete, and Davao.

 

GrabCar 4-seater and 6-seater cars are available for service outside of Metro Manila. This is available for booking from Metro Manila to Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Rizal, as well as vice versa.

 

Fares are fixed and the drivers tend to be pleasant and dependable.

 

Most smaller towns have a mix of taxi companies, and the drivers are usually honest and knowledgeable.

 

The famous Jeepneys

 

The jeepneys of the Philippines are at once a national treasure and a dirty menace. When American troops went home in 1946, they left behind hundreds of military jeeps.

 

Filipinos fitted them with benches, daubed them with gaudy illustrations and began charging commuters for lifts around town.

 

The originals have now mostly been scrapped, but jerry-rigged replicas remain the most common way for people without cars to navigate big cities. They outnumber buses roughly ten to one.

 

Riders must often scurry into the street to clamber into the back of one. Jeepney passengers are said to be ten times more likely to experience a road accident than someone in a private car.

 

Jeepneys around Ermita and Malate are generally safe, but the occasional pickpocket will ride them also. 

 

The bottom line like in most countries is to be travel savvy and be prepared where ever you wish to go.

 

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