KM Viray
While most news about taxis involve various modus operandi, netizen Clarisse Inao posted about a different kind of taxi—one we’d all like to ride in.
Inao has had her share of bad taxi experiences in the past, but this time, she lucked out in finding the Garden Taxi.
The Garden Taxi is apparently the only one of its kind roaming around the streets of Manila. The interiors are filled with plastic flowers which are actually a pleasant treat after a stressful day.
The driver is appropriately named Richard Bulaclac and Inao found out his story during her ride in the Garden Taxi.
Bulaclac hails from Davao and lives alone in Manila. He has three children, two of whom are engineering students and one still in high school.
Inao found out he is one the few taxi drivers out there who has a good and honest heart. Bulalac had already experienced passengers losing their cellphones, laptops, and money, all of which he returned. He even helped a family go home to Tarlac City. He took them to the bus station and even paid for their tickets. On the first and last Mondays of the month, he offers free rides to his first passenger for the day.
He also collects recyclable materials to make into wallets to sell to his passengers for extra income.
“Maniningil ako ng doble sa pasaherong inosente para sa extrang kita? [Do I double the fare of my passengers just for extra income? I don’t.]” he said. “Hindi na ako taxi driver no’n. Magnanakaw na ako. Na may taxi. [Those who do that aren’t taxi drivers. They’re robbers. With taxis.]”
Bulaclac said he has already been featured on a blogsite and on the show Saksi, but Inao felt Bulaclac needed to be known by more people, hence her post.
“Sa bansang umaapaw ng kontrobersya, at malapit nang maubusan ng tiwala ang lahat sa lahat, someone is trying to change the game. Kulang ang espasyo dito para ipaalam sa inyo kung gaano ka-inspiring ang buhay n’ya [In a country full of controversies and lack of trust, someone is trying to change the game. This post in not enough to let the public know how inspiring this man is],” she said.
Inao’s encounter in the Garden Taxi made her realize that while the world is a difficult place to be in and there are many people out there with ill intentions, there are still people like Bulaclac willing to do good despite his own hardships.
How many more people have been fortunate enough to have ridden in the Garden Taxi? If you’re one of them, drop us a line and share more of Bulaclac’s acts of selflessness to inspire others to do the same.
