Many tourists and expats who come to Cebu from Manila are surprised by the Cebu Taxi Drivers. For one, Cebuano cabbies are more polite even considering the language barrier. It is not rare to be greeted Good Morning Maam or Good Evening Sir. Secondly, Cebuano drivers are more honest, I think it has something to do with having pride for their work. Lastly and more glaringly, here in Cebu, Taxi Drivers give exact change. This has to be the differentiating factor.
Yes, taxi drivers in Cebu actually give change. And mind you the exact change. If your cab fare is 82.50 and you paid 100, expect to receive back 17.50. An occurence that never happens in Manila. Manila cabbies have assumed keep the change, and in most cases they expect some sort of tip. For example if your cab fare is 95.50, they expect 120 pesos, a tip for navigating the hellish traffic of Manila. Maybe that's the difference. Traffic in Cebu even in the city is more tranquil especially compared to Manila during rush hour.
I live in the boondocks of Busay, and I often feel guilty of paying the exact cab fare. Considering the extra gas it takes to climb up the mountain, plus the extra factor of "will Mr. taxi driver have a passenger out of the mountains"? So, sometimes I still pay extra. Much to the chagrin of my local Cebu friends. One of the first things they told me is to never give extra to the Cebu cabbie. They do not encourage vagrancy among themselves, and they don't want the cab drivers to be like those from Manila. I am trying, but having lived most of my life in Manila and a frequent taxi customer, this is hard. Still learning...
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