Public Commute: Taxis on Demand

One of the things I hate about living in Manila is commuting. There's pollution, horrible traffic, fighting with other commuters and choosy cab drivers during rush hour. Not to mention the terrible news you hear about ladies being drugged, robbed and raped, worse killed. All these things make me anxious making commuting such an unpleasant experience for me).

Good thing I found 2 great new ways of moving around the metro: GrabTaxi and Uber!

GrabTaxi

GrabTaxi is a taxi booking app that has been in the country for at least a year. I've been able to ride their taxis several times and all have been pleasant. Downside is, during rush hour, it's hard to book one especially if you're coming from the CBD areas because you have lots of competition there.

How it works:

1. Download the GrabTaxi app via Google Play or the App Store. Then register and complete your user profile. This is part of the security measure because they can track which driver picked up which passenger, and the system can also track the entire trip.
2. To book a ride, you need to select your location or your pick up point and your destination or drop off point. You will see the number of taxis nearby and an estimated fare amount.
3. If a driver accepts your booking you'll see the driver details- name, his picture, mobile number and taxi plate number (these details you can send to your family/friend for their info). You'll also know how far he is from you and the estimated time he can pick you up.
4. Once you're picked up, you'll also see your real-time distance from your destination on the map.

How much:

On top of the usual taxi fare (Php40 flag-down rate plus Php3.50 for every), you just pay an extra Php70 or Php50 if you are a Globe mobile subscriber. For me, this is a reasonable premium to pay for security and convenience.

Uber

Unlike GrabTaxi, Uber utilizes private cars. Yes, when you book for a ride, a black private car picks you up right outside your door! The downside though, is that Uber has fewer units than GrabTaxi so it might be harder to get a ride. 

How it works:

1. Download the Uber app via Google Play or the App Store. Then register and complete your user profile. Same as GrabTaxi, this is a security measure. You will also need to provide your credit card number to complete the registration. Don't worry, you will not get charged unless you book for a ride.
2. To book a ride, the app will automatically detect your pick-up location and it will already show you if there are any black cars available in your vicinity.
3. Then you need to input your drop-off location and wait for a driver to accept your booking. Once accepted, you will see his details, just like GrabTaxi's. You will also get an estimated cost computation.
4. Same as GrabTaxi, once you're picked up, you will also see your real-time movement on the map via GPS.

How much?

Uber is a bit more expensive than GrabTaxi as it's basically like having a private driver. The base fare is Php90 plus a per minute fee of Php2.10 and per kilometer fee of Php12.92. They have a minimum fare of P120, and if you need to cancel you're charged a cancellation fee of Php100. What I liked about it though is that it's charged to your credit card so it's ok if you don't have enough cash, and you will also get a receipt sent to your email address. If you feel that the price is pretty steep, I read from their website that you can split a ride with someone, although I have yet to try this with them.

I really liked the private car feel of Uber, and it was especially convenient when you have lots of things to lug around. I was moving houses then when I rode with them and I felt very safe and comfortable with them.

So now there other commuting options here in the Metro, try them out and experience them for yourselves. They won't help with traffic but at least there are now safer alternatives to public transport.

Public Commute: Newport City

Ever since working back here in Manila, I've always been on the look out for cheaper but convenient means of commuting around the metro. I really hate spending on taxicabs and I'm always antsy when taking one to a place I'm not familiar with. So, when I needed to go to Resorts World from my office in Eastwood, I was so happy to have discovered the Citylink bus!

The Citylink bus route is from Eastwood City to Market! Market! and ends at Newport City via C5. From Eastwood to Newport, it only cost me Php39.00! Woohoo! It's very convenient especially for office people. You just have to find the Citylink queue outside Eastwood Mall, line up (there are even benches provided) and then wait for the bus to arrive. The bus is also very clean and has good air-conditioning, which makes it a waaay better option than taking a cab.

Citylink has the following schedule of departures and arrivals (taken from Wikipedia):

From Newport City to Eastwood City, trips are from Monday to Saturday, 6AM - 8AM, and from Monday-Friday, 4PM - 7PM. Every Saturday, only one unit will have a departure time at 4PM.

From Eastwood City to Newport City, trips are from Monday to Saturday, 6AM - 9AM, and from Monday-Friday, 5PM - 7:30PM. Every Saturday, only one unit will have a departure time at 5PM.

Try it and let me know how your experience went. =)

Weekend Getaway: Avilon Zoo

There are days when you just need to get away and take a break from the daily grind of work. But sometimes you don't have enough time (or budget) to go for an out of town trip. You just have to be creative and look for alternative places where you can relax and have fun.

So one summer day, we decided to get away from the concrete jungle and went for something close to an actual one: the Avilon Zoo!

Even if it was a very hot day and we had to travel for about an hour or so to get to Montalban, it was definitely relaxing taking in the green scenery and hanging out with the animals. Spending the day laughing with fellow bisaya friends made it even better!

Public Commute: NAIA Terminal 3

I went home to Cebu last weekend for a friend's wedding. I almost didn't, because I was on a really tight budget and the quick trip would definitely cause some damage to my bruised wallet. But I'm really glad I did!

Anyway, as I said I was on a tight budget, so the P700 something I shelled out just going to Cebu (for the 2 taxicab rides and the airport terminal fee) bore quite a big hole in my pockets.

That's why I was quite anxious about my return trip. Firstly, I hate riding taxicabs in Manila. Some drivers are choosy, they ask you where you're going before they even let you get in. They can refuse a passenger or try to negotiate a fixed price with you, depending on the distance or how heavy the traffic is going to your destination. And I really hate this about cab drivers.

Secondly, I live quite far from the airport and I'm not very familiar with my way going home. And again, one of the many taxicab horror stories is that at the first sign that you're not sure where you're going, the driver intentionally takes a longer route so you end up paying a lot more.

And thirdly, because of the distance, I would definitely be paying a lot for my cab ride home. I wanted nothing of that nonsense on a very early, sleep-deprived Sunday morning.

Good thing I discovered the NAIA Terminal 3 Bus Loop! You just need to go to the south side of the Arrivals area and you'll see the cue for the buses. I lined up for Route 2, which ends up in a bus terminal in Pasay Rotunda, right beside the MRT/LRT station (MRT Taft Station and LRT EDSA station), so you can easily take the MRT or LRT afterwards. And the best thing is that they only charge you a good P20 flat fee for the ride! Neat, huh? So in all, I only spent a total of P50 for my way home.

I'm so happy with this discovery, that I've been telling my friends about it. You should, too!