Provincial buses keep terminals despite PITx

Provincial buses keep terminals despite PITx | Daily Tribune

Despite the existence of the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITx), provincial buses still maintain terminals in parts of Makati and Pasay cities, causing severe traffic congestion during rush hour.

Traffic turns from bad to worse during peak hours, particularly for commuters from the LRT Buendia station heading towards Makati.

Provincial buses parked at Gil Puyat Avenue (formerly Buendia) corner Taft Avenue in Pasay City obstruct the flow of private and public utility vehicles.

Orlando Marquez, national president of the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas and an advocate for the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, lamented that even his fleet of air-conditioned jeepneys, which had been in operation since the early 2000s, has suffered due to the presence of these bus terminals at Buendia and Taft Avenue.

He noted a significant decrease in his fleet from over 20 units to just 10, attributing the decline to competition from the buses that ply routes within the Makati Business District, including Buendia and Ayala.

“Even though these bus terminals were supposed to relocate to PITx, their continued presence in the Pasay area has rendered the effort futile. They are still allowed to park in that area because of the large-scale corruption involving LTFRB (Land Transporation Franchising and Regulatory Board) and MMDA enforcers,” Marquez alleged in a telephone interview. “If we complain, they just tell us to name names.”

The PITx, inaugurated in 2018, was designed to be a central hub for buses, jeepneys, and other public utility vehicles heading toward northern and southern Metro Manila, as well as Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Our air-conditioned jeepneys now struggle to compete by lowering fares. I used to have more than 20 units, but those buses have crippled our industry,” Marquez said.

Marquez also criticized the nighttime parking of buses along Buendia, questioning why traffic enforcers from Pasay and Makati have failed to take action against them.

“Enforcers are motivated by weekly and monthly quotas. That’s the game they play. Extortion is rampant. It was bad during President Duterte’s time, but it’s worsened under this administration. Bribery and corruption have even infiltrated the barangay level. Legal operators are the ones suffering,” he said.

He said that from Makati to Manila, there are approximately 100 jeepneys and 100 UV Express vehicles operating daily, alongside 300 buses. Additionally, cargo trucks and electric tricycles illegally ply the route from Gil Puyat to SM Mall of Asia, extending to Okada Hotel.

“In these areas, particularly along the Buendia to Okada route, the traffic constables of Pasay City Hall profit from bribes. About 300 e-trikes pay P200 per unit daily, while bus operators on routes to Bicol, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon pay P3,000 per bus monthly,” Marquez alleged.

Asked to comment, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that inquiries should be directed to the LTFRB, as they are the regulators responsible for franchise matters.

The MMDA clarified that it only permits provincial buses to operate on Metro Manila thoroughfares during specific holidays such as All Saints’ and Souls’ Day, Holy Week, and the Christmas season.

In response to queries, LTFRB chairperson Teofilo E. Guadiz III briefly responded, stating, “The MMDA has allowed these bus stations to remain at their respective terminals.”

In 2020, the Supreme Court dismissed three petitions challenging the MMDA’s plan to ban provincial buses from EDSA. The petitions contested the validity of MMDA Regulation No. 19-002 which prohibits or revokes the issuance of business permits to all public utility buses and other public utility vehicle terminals and operators on Edsa.

Under the plan, all bus terminals on Edsa were slated for removal and relocation to the outskirts of Metro Manila to alleviate the traffic congestion.

Provincial buses from south of Metro Manila would end their trips at the South Integrated Terminal in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and the PITx, while those from the north would stop at the Valenzuela Gateway Complex Central Integrated Terminal.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DoTr)reiterated its plan to relocate buses from Metro Manila roads to centralized hubs to enhance route efficiency and alleviate traffic congestion at the former terminal sites.

Undersecretary for Roads Andy Ortega affirmed the department’s commitment to establish Integrated Terminal Exchanges (ITX).

“The DoTr remains committed to establishing ITXs and is actively advancing the construction of the Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange (TCITX) and the North Integrated Terminal Exchange (NITX),” Ortega told DAILY TRIBUNE in a mobile message.

The initiative stems from Executive Order 67 issued in 2012 promoting mass transportation improvements and economic growth through centralized terminal hubs.

Notably, this includes the establishment of two international standard transport terminals, such as the PITx.

In 2019, the MMDA and LTFRB issued regulations aimed at relocating provincial bus terminals from EDSA to ITX terminals to alleviate congestion.

Legal challenges by provincial bus operators, however, resulted in a court order halting these regulations, temporarily preventing the DoTr from proceeding with the terminal relocations.