ILOILO City – All’s well that ends well after a miscommunication between a taxi driver and a passenger was sorted out.
On Friday morning, Sept. 15, in the presence of Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu, passenger and call center agent Lhyssa Calamaan of Barangay Cochero, Molo district and taxi driver Ronald Gape of Guimaras province explained their sides.
“Ang natabu was miscommunication. Si Sir Ronald naghambal it was an honest mistake. Si Ma’am Lhyssa, because babaye sia and a mother, of course nag-panic nga out of route ang pagpuli sa iya balay. Nag-agree sila nga duha nga magpasensyahanay,” said Conlu.
Gape said he had no ill intentions on Calamaan.
For her part, Calamaan said she did not intend to defame the taxi driver on social media by posting her experience, but only to create awareness among fellow passengers.
“It was my first time nga mag-agi sa amo to nga way. I usually nagalabay sa main road. Ang akon lang, ara na ako sa panic state that time, dulom ang area, kag ang way was pa-La Paz and indi pa-Molo,” Calamaan said.
She also clarified that the driver did not harass her.
“Ang akon lang is wala ko ginhambal sa social media or sa mga tawo nga si Ronald gin-harass ya ako, gin-attempt ya ako, or gin-maniac niya ako. Wala ako may ginhambal nga amo na,” Calamaan added.
Gape, meanwhile, admitted taking the wrong route. Instead of passing through the Diversion Road and then Barangay San Rafael, Mandurriao district going to the Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital, he took the Barangay Nabitasan, La Paz district route, passing by the Garden of Love.
The driver explained that he planned to exit under the Jalandoni flyover near the University of San Agustin and head to Molo district.
“I want to make it clear nga wala ako may ginhimu kay ma’am or any harassment, and besides, I claim nga wrong way ako,” Gape said, adding he wanted to end the issue and clear his reputation.
Calamaan’s Facebook post went viral. She recalled getting on Gape’s taxi in front of a commercial building on Sept. 13, around 4:30 a.m. on Diversion Road, Mandurriao.
They passed by a checkpoint at the Garden of Love, where Calamaan decided to get out of the taxi.
Conlu, on his part, appreciated the two parties for settling their miscommunication./PN
