Two weeks ago, late June 2019, my Thai Airways flight landed in Manila. Specifically, Terminal 1, used by nearly all foreign air carriers. But, Terminal 3 is used by some international flights. For example, Cebu Pacific Air which also has its domestic flights flying in/out of the same terminal. Also, months ago, I saw a sign in Terminal 3 for United Airlines. Note that Philippines Airline uses a different terminal, i.e., Terminal 2.

At the baggage carousel of Terminal 1, a screen between the baggage carousel belt showed one slide that mentioned taxi's. It listed available taxicabs, namely: Yellow Metered Taxi, Coupon Taxi, and Rent-A-Car. with or without a driver.

For your information, the screen showed a slide giving some phone numbers: 02-877-1111 for NAIA [Ninoy Aquino International Airport] customer hotline. 02-877-1109 loc 2237 for Terminal Police Division. 0917-839-6242 for text. Note that the 02 is used in Manila for a cell phone to connect to a landline (i.e., regular telephone).

During prior arrivals at the Manila airport terminals, there were buses, public taxi, airport metered taxi, and private companies (coupon taxi that used non-marked four-door sedans which had hawkers in the lobby and outside the exit doors offering taxi service).

A bus used to go to Ermita. But, it apparently stopped running many months ago. The same bus Premium had drivers who said that the bus only went to bus stations on EDSA, but stopped first at Terminal 3 to pick up other passengers. By the way, the airport supposedly has shuttle buses going between airport terminals.

Currently, the exchange rate is about 51 peso to a USD, or US dollar.

PUBLIC METERED TAXI.

The public metered taxi lined up to the far right (as you exit the terminal) in the far lane of the roadway in front of the arrival or ground level of the terminal. An upright nearby sign warned that the airport was NOT responsible for these taxicabs. However, they were the cheapest ride -- unless the meter was doctored. Over a year ago, they used to line up in the far lane on the departure (upper floor of the terminal); but I have not seen any such lineup when I arrive in a taxicab to leave Manila.

Several months ago, a goverment board allowed the rates charged by these public taxi's to go up. Until then, the driver wanted a fixed fee that was about double the metered rate. Worse yet, more months earlier, drivers only wanted a passenger going to the province like Angeles City, for which they charged 5,000 pesos or more. After the rates were raised, drivers were willing to turn on the meter without discussion. The cost was much under 300 pesos to go to Ermita. Before the rate increase, the metered cost was under 200 pesos and the drivers wanted 500 pesos.

Two weeks ago, the line of public taxicabs in front of the arrival part of Terminal 1 was gone. No sign, no line, no nothing. I walked to the usual area and inquired. An airport security guard said, no public taxi because a passenger had been robbed.

YELLOW METERED TAXI (AIRPORT TAXI).

I walked over to the lineup of yellow airport taxicabs. Their rate is higher. For example, the initial charge is 70 pesos plus 4 pesos per 300-meter charge is slightly higher. By comparison, a public metered taxi charge is an initial 40 pesos plus 13.5 pesos per kilometer plus a time charge of 2 pesos per minute.

I had not used the airport taxicabs for over a year. The reason is that one time there was no line of public taxicabs and a waiting big crowd, so I took an airport taxi. It cost me over 700 pesos, due to hardly-moving traffic on Roxas Blvd resulting in one-plus hour ride. One-lane only due to construction on the road on much of the road. Sometimes, there is no lineup of airport taxicabs, which is an indication of heavy traffic outside the airport.

Also, these airport taxicabs were not supposed to pickup any passengers on their return to the airport. But, I have had many airport taxicabs stopped to give me a ride outside the airport to another city location -- at the same higher rate used for airport passengers.

COUPON TAXI

For your information, I last used the private company (coupon) taxicabs over five years ago. They quote the cost in advance, since they do not use a meter. The last quote was 800 pesos to go to Ermita. For no waiting on a transport, this is one way to go.

GRAB (similar to Uber)

A relatively new development is the ride-sharing company, Grab. It was a competitor of Uber. But, they did some kind of merger, or buyout. Uber is now a part-owner of Grab and Uber no longer competes in Manila and other Asian cities.

At the airport, I have seen a short line of passengers near an upright sign for Grab. In Thailand have downloaded the Grab app from the Google Play Store, which I used in Chiang Mai last year. Of course, an app on a phone involves a smartphone, and a cellular company that sells you its SIM and its internet service in order to use the app.

At a big mall in Manila, I have seen a sidewalk stand near the entrance, where a female clerk has a smartphone for dialing up Grab service. This might be the same at Terminal 1.

TERMINAL 3.

Next month, I fly in/out of Terminal 3. I will post if I see any major difference.

ANGELES CITY.

For those going to Angeles City, some suggestions.

A. Taxicab. Try your AC hotel for an airport transfer. Or, look for a waiting taxi driver in front of Swagman Hotel, on Rosa street in Ermita, between Roxas Blvd and Del Pilar street. An expat who lives in AC told me that he pays about 2,000 pesos one-way. (By the way, a month ago he said that he pays 80 pesos for 4 tablets of generic viagra or cialis in AC.)

B. For a small van ride, 600 peso one-way: 1- Fly The Bus. See its web site. Or, go the Swagman Hotel and buy a ticket. 2- Southern Cross bus. It pickups and dropoffs at the Southern Cross Hotel. Both companies will drop off and pickup passengers at their AC hotels.

C. For a public bus: Victory Liner. A real bus, both air-conditioned and cheaper non-air conditioned bus. Best to buy a ticket and get on at its terminal on EDSA, about three short blocks north of Taft Avenue. Sometimes your seat is reserved in the order of ticket sale and most times, the first to line up in front of the weiting bus selects his own seat. By teh way, the bus will pickup more passengers en route and they usually have to stand in the aisle.

Destination is Mabalacat (spelling?) and a trike ride from there to your AC hotel. The cost of this bus and trike is cheaper than the van. But, the indirect route costs more time-wise, maybe an hour or two longer than a van or taxi. Also, this mode of travel is among Filipinos, so there is a risk of robbery and is not suitable for hauling a large suitcase. I did this over ten years ago, carrying a large cheap backpack for a weekend trip to AC and paid about 200 pesos for both bus and trike.

There is a great luxury bus service from Terminal 3 (Station 14, I think) to SM Clark and Clark Airport.

It costs 400 pesos, leaves every hour, and only makes a few stops if any. Last time I took it around noon, and was in AC in 2 hours.