‘Taxi parking behind BI building temporary’

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza yesterday said that the FX taxi parking area along the riverbank at the back of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) building is only temporary in order to hasten the development work now being done at the Liwasang Bonifacio (formerly Plaza Lawton).

"This is just an emergency measure so we can clear Liwasang Bonifacio of taxicabs and hasten the redevelopment of the area. We will transform it into a landscaped and bright open space that could function as a genuine plaza," Atienza explained.

Atienza assured that in a month’s time, the FX taxis as well as the passenger jeepneys and buses would be accommodated at the Park N Ride building along Arroceros street. The riverbank road behind the BI building, meanwhile, will be transformed into a well-lighted promenade.

"The redevelopment of Liwasang Bonifacio and the riverbank behind the BI building as well as the Park N Ride facility is still part of the Central Manila Development Plan. This is meant to facilitate the movement of people and vehicles in the area. We are asking the public to bear with the temporary inconvenience," said Atienza.

Earlier the Western Police District-Traffic Enforcement Group (WPD-TEG) came under fire for failing to act on the illegal FX terminals that have mushroomed around the vicinity of the Philippine Postal Corp. building in Plaza Lawton.

FX vans with signboards for various destinations in Cavite and Las Piñas have literally turned the sidewalks around the PhilPost building into their own private terminals causing heavy traffic.

These terminals are now well organized, complete with signages and "barkers" to call passengers. Most of the FX vans are parked at the back of the PhilPost Bank and at the side of the Post Office building near the bank of the Pasig River.

Traffic going in and out of Manila’s Port Area and Intramuros are disrupted whenever these FX vans maneuver onto and off the sidewalks. – Mike Frialde