Exclusive: Baguio City Taxi Driver Gives Annual Dec. 30 Free Rides

On January 2, a Facebook post (see the post below) about a taxi driver went viral for the right reasons – it renewed people’s hope that there are still those who do something good for others without needing any recognition. The post by Ms. Heidz Abarra shared a story about a Baguio City taxi driver who gave free rides to his passengers on December 30, 2016.

After it was posted, thousands of people positively reacted to the story. Up until publishing time, it has been liked or loved by over 4,500 people and has been shared over 500 times. It also got over 215 comments, most of which were wishing for continued blessings.

The Story of Ray Bersalona

Pilipinas Popcorn sought out the taxi driver also through Facebook, after which an interview with him was arranged.

The kind-hearted and soft-spoken driver was Mr. Raymundo “Ray” Bersalona, 57, who originally hails from Abra. His wife is a native of Baguio. When asked about his family life, he said that he has three sons, two of whom are overseas workers. Their youngest is still a student, the only one living with him and his wife.

Taxi driving has been his main source of income for the past 10 years. During the first years, he was driving taxis for operators. In 2010, after his eldest son was able to save up his earnings while working in Japan as a teacher, his son decided to purchase his own taxi unit. Since then, Ray has been the manager of his son’s taxi. In 2012, they upgraded their unit to a new Isuzu Crosswind.

Sharing His Blessings

According to Mr. Bersalona, he started his free ride practice the same year they bought the new unit, in 2012. His only reason for doing it is simple: he wants to share the blessings he and his family have received.

Since 2012, he has chosen December 30 as the day when he offers free rides to each and every passenger who hails him, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. And since then, he has given joy to so many passengers on that day. The recent Facebook post was the first recognition of his good deed.

More Than Just An Ordinary Taxi Driver

During the interview, we found out that Mr. Bersalona was also one of several taxi drivers who are accredited by the Department of Tourism as Frontline Tour Guides. Aside from that, he is also active in the Cordillera Association of Taxi Drivers as a Board member.

For Mr. Bersalona, driving a taxi is not simply conveying passengers from one point to another. He places so much importance on providing service and thus makes it a point to have good rapport with his passengers.