“Infuriating.”
A business owner based in Panglao, Bohol shared her experience of being charged P700 for a 2.5-kilometer ride from the airport in the area to a hardware store.
Entrepreneur Chatty Sullivan narrated an “infuriating” experience on Sunday, November 9, when she picked up her brother-in-law and his wife from Canada, who were visiting the Philippines for the first time.
“This was how they were welcomed. Mind you, there were police in the area, they could hear clearly, and a tariff board [was present], but none of that mattered,” she wrote in the Facebook group “Panglao, Bohol – Expats & Locals.”
Sullivan said that they were charged P700 to avail of transportation from the Bohol Panglao International Airport to Fixrite Hardware, which she said was a “mere 2.5 kilometers drive.”
She did not specify the mode of transportation that quoted them the said amount.
“That’s the same as the bus fare from Pasay to Baguio City,” Sullivan said, referring to the amount.
“NAIA T3 [Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3] to Victory Pasay is maximum P400 with Grab,” she claimed.
“Where do these people think they are? Geneva??? Or they’re taking us via helicopter? Infuriating,” Sullivan said.
She later said that they were able to find a van to transport them for P300 after walking to the airport gate.
“If they weren’t too tired, I would have asked them to walk to where the tuktuks are,” Sullivan said.
Her post has earned 2,100 likes and reactions, 1,100 comments, and 254 shares from Facebook users, with some sharing similar sentiments.
“I really don’t recommend Bohol for tourism, everything there is expensive. My family owns land in Carmen and Tibigon area and we usually visit Panglao and Tagbilaran from time to time, I can tell you, everything there is overpriced,” an online user wrote.
“That’s the problem of Panglao LGU [local government unit]. No proper management all over the municipality,” another user commented.
“The LGU should step in to set a reasonable uniform rate. This has been going on for years. This is a bane to both foreign [and] domestic tourists,” said a different Pinoy.
“[Overrated] transpo, wala na match sa distance,” commented another user.
Another Pinoy claimed that the rate that Sullivan and her companions were charged was equivalent to a “tourist franchise rate.”
“You can see the post outside the arrival area. If you find it expensive, there are tricabs or Grab cars. Your choice,” the user said in the comments, sharing a picture of “Panglao Transfer Rates.”
According to the image, the rate from Bohol-Panglao Airport to any point in Panglao (except the Alona area) is P800 for a van accommodating one to eight people. A car, meanwhile, accommodating one to three people, costs P700.
A look at Google Maps indicates that the drive from the Bohol-Panglao International Airport to the Fixrite Hardware is 2.1 kilometers and would take around five minutes via car or in “driving” mode.
Panglao is a tourist destination known for its beaches like the Alona Beach, which boasts white sands and clear waters.
Panglao is also known for its proximity to other attractions like the Chocolate Hills, Loboc River, and Balicasag Island, with the latter being renowned for its diverse marine life.
