General Info

[WildInstincts]

Approximately when was that?

Before the lockdown. Haven't visited since then. Booked a flight for the end of this month.

[WestCoast1]

You might want to try Grab. Last time when I was in AC, I could get taxis using Grab without any problems.

Approximately when was that?

[The Rose]

I live in the Philippines, you can do what you suggest, but you quickly learn living here just to go with it sometimes or forever be on verge of a heart attack from anger. "Welcome to the Philippines" as everyone says with a great deal of sarcasm.

That's not sarcasm. That's resignation. And it taint a matter of living in the PI. I have been coming here frequently for a long time and I have learned that folks like taxi drivers will nickel and dime and scam you to death if you let them. You can hardly blame them when you consider what they do and the incredibly long hours they put in.

This board is about giving advice to get laid and save money. My advice is that it is not a question about having a heart attack but rather about having the stomach to calmly and resolutely state your case and not be shaken down.

[WildInstincts]

Thanks! I searched my app sore and did not find an app. Yet. But I assume once see one I can save the phone number painted on the cars.

You might want to try Grab. Last time when I was in AC, I could get taxis using Grab without any problems.

[MrHappyKat]

In AC there are hundreds of newer Blue taxis. Of course they are painted all blue. They all use meters. Generally they are cheaper than trikes. You can flag them down on most major streets as they go by. Do not expect the hotel doormen to flag them down as the trike drivers get upset with them.

I believe there might be an app for the Blue Taxis. Or get the number of several Blue Taxi drivers.

The drivers pay a daily rental fee plus gasoline. Please treat them well. I like to see them knock out the trike mafia.

Thanks! I searched my app sore and did not find an app. Yet. But I assume once see one I can save the phone number painted on the cars.

[MrHappyKat]

One thing that I forgot to ask was how well do you handle stairs? Many clubs on Burgos are up or down a full flight of stairs whereas Walking street are mostly at street level.

Maybe something to consider?

I can deal with stairs. Slowly. I generally need to put one foot up, then bring my next foot to the same step. Then wash, rinse, repeat. Same process for heading down. I think I'll be Ok on stairs.

[Steve Nash]

So after 2 years of pandemic lockdown and then a three stint back in the RP this life back in my home country is kind of boring.

What positive tips do you guys have to settle back into home life? Or am I just going to be working towards my next trip?

It depends what city you live, if is a big city, so many things to do there, depending of the city you are, there might be a Filipino community there, try to go to one of their clubs / bars and meet Filipinas there, even a Filipino business works, I like Filipinas in my city because they are easy to hook up, for some reason even thought they are in another country, they still are fond to foreigners and are easy to trust you, of course you have to have some game and don't date someone with a big age gap, you have to lie about your age of course, I'm early 40 (and I look early 30's) so I can easily hook up with someone 27 or more, they think I'm 32 so if they are 27 that's only 5 years gap, of course later on if I end up having an open relationship with them I will tell them my real age (15 years older) and they are OK with it since we already had sex and they like it.

[Steve Nash]

I doubt anybody can knockout trike mafia. They are as much part of life in balibago for a long time. Locals use them as well for reasonable price. But for foreigners if you do not pre negotiate they charge high prices.

I never heard of taxi mafia, BUT I do agree about trike mafia (actually bike mafia), I seen them in the province, not sure if they belong to a gang, but they said they belong to a union, and most of the trikes are scared of them.

One time it took me a while to get a trike since most of them were charging alot and the other ones didn't want to go there because it has to go up in the mountain or maybe afraid of the bikers, so after 45 minutes of looking for a trike (there were not taxis in that city BTW) I found one with a reasonable price, so afew blocks after after we left (close to a 7 eleven) 3 motorbikes stop us and talk to the trike driver and then the driver said he can not take me anymore because only bikes are allow to go up that mountain, I got piss and yell at them, of course I did it because there were people around the 7 eleven and 20 meters away there was a plaza with guards and a police station two blocks away, so I ask them what union are you so I can ask if you are legit in the police station 2 blocks away, once they heard police station they change their tune and said, OK this time I let you go but next time you can only take motobikes from the union. I just laugh and said: Whatever!

Only in Philippines!

[Dg8787]

I doubt anybody can knockout trike mafia. They are as much part of life in balibago for a long time. Locals use them as well for reasonable price. But for foreigners if you do not pre negotiate they charge high prices.

I am thankful for the readily available walking street trikes when I barfine a sweetie and want to get to the hotel quickly.

[Sammon]

In AC there are hundreds of newer Blue taxis. Of course they are painted all blue. They all use meters. Generally they are cheaper than trikes. You can flag them down on most major streets as they go by. Do not expect the hotel doormen to flag them down as the trike drivers get upset with them.

I believe there might be an app for the Blue Taxis. Or get the number of several Blue Taxi drivers.

The drivers pay a daily rental fee plus gasoline. Please treat them well. I like to see them knock out the trike mafia.

I doubt anybody can knockout trike mafia. They are as much part of life in balibago for a long time. Locals use them as well for reasonable price. But for foreigners if you do not pre negotiate they charge high prices.

[Dg8787]

Great advice from the guys who have been there! Love the idea of getting a Taxi drivers number. .

Are there any app for calling a Taxi in AC and / or near P. Burgos?

In AC there are hundreds of newer Blue taxis. Of course they are painted all blue. They all use meters. Generally they are cheaper than trikes. You can flag them down on most major streets as they go by. Do not expect the hotel doormen to flag them down as the trike drivers get upset with them.

I believe there might be an app for the Blue Taxis. Or get the number of several Blue Taxi drivers.

The drivers pay a daily rental fee plus gasoline. Please treat them well. I like to see them knock out the trike mafia.

[AsianPursuits]

So after 2 years of pandemic lockdown and then a three stint back in the RP this life back in my home country is kind of boring.

What positive tips do you guys have to settle back into home life? Or am I just going to be working towards my next trip?

[Goferring]

Great advice from the guys who have been there! Love the idea of getting a Taxi drivers number. .

Are there any app for calling a Taxi in AC and / or near P. Burgos?

One thing that I forgot to ask was how well do you handle stairs? Many clubs on Burgos are up or down a full flight of stairs whereas Walking street are mostly at street level.

Maybe something to consider?

[Muttley81]

That's a tourist scam. Don't buy into it. Before you get going in a taxi, always use your iPhone to take a picture of the driver, the car, and his license. Let him see you do this and do it with a smile. Send the pics to an email or something. That will discourage him from playing games with you. I always sit in the front seat because the view is better but you can also lighten the mood and personalize the conversation.

I live in the Philippines, you can do what you suggest, but you quickly learn living here just to go with it sometimes or forever be on verge of a heart attack from anger. "Welcome to the Philippines" as everyone says with a great deal of sarcasm.

I would personally deem a tourist scam to be not having the meter on at all or taking you wrong route. One of my friends got in a taxi on Burgos, asked to go to Greenbelt, but was so drunk he woke up in the taxi at the base of mountains beyond BGC! That's a scam!

While it's great to share advice this isn't something I'll be following. The times when an extra 50 has been requested were on public holidays or when it was raining heavily. With the situation with grabs at the moment, I'd prefer to pay 50 than not get a ride at all. If it was 500 or something then there'd be an issue worth arsing about with.

[DzikaBomba]

That's a tourist scam. Don't buy into it. Before you get going in a taxi, always use your iPhone to take a picture of the driver, the car, and his license. Let him see you do this and do it with a smile. Send the pics to an email or something. That will discourage him from playing games with you. I always sit in the front seat because the view is better but you can also lighten the mood and personalize the conversation.

When I arrived last time in Cebu I had to fight with the Taxi mafia.

At The exit they All had lists which "official prices."

I said no way.

What Kind of tourist scam is that?

And believe me no one would take you with Meter. They Just leave you there.

I went to the other Terminal.

Again the same, no Meter. Only official lists quoting 700 p to my hotel!

No way.

I went up to the Street and took a taxi from the Street.

He also did not wanted to use meter, but was ok with 500 p.

Was it always that Bad in Cebu airport?

One of the most things I hate is these taxi mafia.