Muffled Noise

So we had two guests over from Hong Kong — they were here for 3 days on a business trip. Naturally I had to give them a few tips for their stay, tell them what’s what, at least what they really needed to know to get around. One of those days, the three of us needed to attend a whole-day meeting in Makati. These are the things I had to explain to them about getting around in Metro Manila, most of them given during that trip. Of course, most if not all of my readers know this already, but I myself never really gave any thought to these things until I had to explain them. So I’m gonna try to contribute to society by sharing them, here goes.

1. If you’re going by cab, you have to choose carefully.
   • Reason: Some of them charge extra when traffic is heavy, and some just decline when they know it’s a tough drive to your destination.
   • Tips: It’s always best to tell them where you’re going first before getting on, to avoid having to get off if they decline, and to avoid surprise charges. Also, try to pick the company-owned cabs (they’re not white — some of them are MGE, R&E, EMP and Sturdy). They generally don’t decline and don’t charge extra. If they do, try to negotiate and make sure you know when it’s too much. Sometimes, Filipinos are willing to give up to Php20 (in extreme cases, Php30) extra to cab drivers if they know traffic is really that heavy. Never agree to a no-meter run, that is NEVER allowed, no matter how they try to convince you (they sometimes do that to trick foreigners).
   • Story: The day after the meeting, they were fooled into paying Php200 for a Php100 trip, because the driver told them that he wasn’t running on a meter. In fact, he charged P250 but finally accepted Php200.
2. Cabs usually don’t give change if it’s less than Php10, maybe even Php20.
   • Reason: It’s considered a tip, whether or not you intended to give any. It’s the custom and in general, nobody complains. I guess it’s pakikisama, the Pinoy concept of getting along with others (meaning, don’t go fighting with him over Php5).
   • Tips: Just try to be reasonable. Remember the denominations — Php5, 10, 20, 50. If you have the exact fare (by exact we mean anything with an extra of not more than Php10), then pay that. If not, prepare to let go of anything under P20. Try to read his body language for a second too — if he looks like he’s reaching for change, then wait for it. If not, let it go. Ask for anything over Php20, unless you agreed on paying extra for traffic beforehand. Better yet, you can also just give a tip of around 10%, less hassle.
   • Story: One of them took a cab somewhere the day before our meeting. After paying, he was waiting for his Php16 change. The driver wondered what he was waiting for, and asked in a mean voice “Change?”. He realized the driver didn’t want to give it back so he just declined and got off.
3. In most cases, cabs don’t have receipts.
   • Reason: The system hasn’t been officially rolled out until recently (last year), and implementation will take a while.
   • Tips: If you need your fare reimbursed, just write down the plate number, taxi name and fare. Driver name if you think it’s necessary, they won’t mind. Afterwards, have it signed by the driver.
   • Story: Our guests thought all cabs had receipts, because airport taxis right now have them.
4. Jeepneys and busses can stop anywhere, sometimes even in the middle of the road.
   • Reason: One reason is that in most cases, it’s really okay to stop anywhere (as long as you move to the side). Another reason is because vehicle stops in general aren’t observed that much, except when there are traffic police around. Another is that many drivers just don’t think about the trouble they could cause others when they do that. It’s worse for busses since they’re at least three times the size of jeeps. Also, we do have bus stops, but again unless there are cops, they usually aren’t followed.
   • Tip: Just say “Para” where you want to get down. If the jeep/bus isn’t on the right side already, it’s best to say “Sa tabi lang po” which literally means “Just at the side”, but connotes something like “Please move to the side so I can get down.” Otherwise they might stop right there. You can also just tell the conductor or driver where you need to get down when you’re near. That way they can plan a “legal” stop for you. If the vehicle is stuck in traffic, it’ll most likely open the doors for anyone who wants to get down, even if you’re not at a stop. You can get off, it’s completely fine, but be careful and watch where you step — get to the sidewalk as soon as you can.
   • Story: They didn’t get to ride either of these, but they were absolutely fascinated (or confused) by this idea.
5. Fares for busses are based solely on the memory of one person.
   • Explanation: For busses, you don’t pay as soon as you get on. You pick a seat and wait for the conductor to approach you in a short while. He has a bunch of “tickets” in his hand, and he’ll ask you where you’re going. Depending on your destination, he’ll give you tickets with prices adding up to your fare. Pay for it, and hold on to the tickets. Near the end of the route, someone will board and check the tickets, to see if you’ve paid to reach that far. Chances are, you’ll never get your ticket checked (unless you’re riding from end to end in the route). That’s why in theory, if the conductor’s memory is bad, you can get away with not paying at all. But Filipinos generally even raise their hands so the conductor knows to ask for their payment.
   • Tips: Don’t take this for granted, because drivers and bus conductors can be pretty nasty when you try to cheat. Conductors have a very good memory. Also, if the conductor doesn’t have change for you yet, don’t worry if he leaves for a bit because he’ll come back for you. However, do count your change, just in case.
6. Jeeps are also based on a trust system.
   • Reason: They don’t have any means to make sure everyone pays — no pre-boarding payment device, and no conductor. Though they sometimes have assistants beside them to collect for them, jeepneys generally operate under the premise that everyone pays. In theory, you can jump down at a stoplight anytime without paying, but save for very very rare instances, nobody does this. People also pay the right fare, by default. They’ll ask you where you’re getting off (and if you didn’t pay right away, where you got in), and they trust that you’re telling the truth.
   • Tips: Pay as soon as you board so you don’t forget. Check the fare matrix, or ask how much it is to get to your destination. You can ask someone beside you, or the driver himself. Then you hand it out to the driver — if you’re not within arms-reach, then other passengers will automatically pass it for you so just hold your fare out and say “Bayad po“.
7. Travel is measured by time, not distance.
   • Explanation: If you ask someone how far a certain place is, chances are he’s going to tell you how long it takes to get there. For instance, “it’s an hour away”, “thirty minutes away”, or “just five minutes away”.
   • Reason: The level of traffic is the greatest factor when traveling, distance is generally irrelevant. You can get somewhere near in an hour, and also take an hour to get somewhere three times the distance, all depending on the traffic.
   • Tip: Ask Filipinos who go through that route. When you ask, also mention the time you’re heading there — rush hour traffic is the worst in the Metro.
   • Story: They told me that almost everyone they met here mentioned the traffic to them, so on the way back to the airport for their 8pm flight, they left at 3:30pm just to be sure.
8. The trains aren’t as efficient as the Hong Kong MTR.
   • Reason: The railways don’t cover much ground. They only serve to connect some main destinations, so just check their routes.
   • Tips: Remember that some people take the word “train” as the PNR (the oldschool railway system) that goes to the provinces. So if you need to ask around, remember the 3 lines: MRT, LRT and LRT2. They’re all connected somewhere, so ask someone you trust beforehand, otherwise you can ask the guards at the stations how to get around. And by the way, it can get extremely packed during rush hour.
9. Door locks are very very important.
   • Reason: Safety first, but this isn’t a general “just in case” tip. Muggers may be lurking nearby, and there are different ways they can take advantage of unlocked doors.
   • Tips: Basically, if you don’t want to be mugged, lock the doors whenever you ride a cab, any car, even an AUV or “FX” — the white SUV-type vehicle with extra seats at the back.
   • Story: After telling them this, they joked that they wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. I found it amusing that it doesn’t bother us Filipinos, but when you think about it, it is pretty scary!

Those are pretty much all the tips I had to give them, but I’m sure there are other important things I missed. If you’re a foreigner here, it’s best to travel with someone who knows his/her way around if you’re not going by cab. If you are going by cab, just remember the tips up there, and you should be fine.

As for my guests, I hope I didn’t scare them. But we agreed that it’s better to tell them now, rather than having them learn the hard way. After all, I’m pretty sure they’ll be back. ;)