The Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s (NAIA) private operator vowed to enhance transport measures and passenger protection, following the discovery of a 60/40 extortion scheme involving taxi drivers.
The scheme devised by corrupt Airport Police Department (APD) personnel requires taxi drivers to pay a commission, forcing them to overcharge passengers. It was exposed after a taxi driver was arrested for overcharging a passenger by P1,200.
The New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) is conducting a full audit to determine which (taxi) accreditations remain valid, which contracts are expiring, and which providers do not meet current standards.
“While airport police are under MIAA (Manila International Airport Authority) jurisdiction, NNIC — as the private operator of NAIA — is working closely with the government agency and, at the same time, implementing measures to ensure incidents like this do not happen again,” the NNIC said.
Since assuming operations in September 2024, the NNIC has continued the transport accreditation system it inherited from the government. This setup was meant to ensure that only authorized vehicles, operating from designated booths and charging transparent rates, could pick up passengers at the terminals.
Last December, the NNIC launched a centralized transport hub at NAIA Terminal 3 for app-based ride-hailing services such as Grab and Joyride to ensure orderly pickups and provide passengers safer, more convenient, and efficient transport options.
The NNIC likewise added more CCTV cameras and deployed additional security personnel to strengthen monitoring and enforcement across the entire airport, including areas beyond terminal curbsides.
Prior to the incident, the NNIC had already increased the number of inter-terminal shuttle buses, which run every 15 minutes free of charge.
To help passengers easily identify legitimate transport providers, the NNIC is looking to roll out new and more visible accreditation markings with tamper-resistant features.
It is also expanding its monitoring systems, launching a renewed passenger awareness campaign, and introducing a digital reporting tool to make it easier for passengers to report incidents and receive timely assistance.
