MMDA finalizing plan for central bus terminals

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is “fine-tuning” a plan to relocate all provincial bus terminals currently located along EDSA and other major thoroughfares to central bus terminals at the northern and southern points of the metropolis, an official said yesterday.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said his agency is discussing the plan with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation and Communications, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board as well as the provincial bus operators “to fix the parameters and fasttrack the construction of centralized bus terminals” in Balintawak, Quezon City for northern Metro Manila and at the Mall of Asia (MOA) in Baclaran, Parañaque for the southern part of the metropolis.

Tolentino said the integrated bus terminals will be designed like airport terminals with set times for the arrival and departure of provincial buses. The Balintawak terminal will be for buses traveling to the northern part of the country, while the MOA terminal will be for buses going to the southern provinces.

Tolentino is optimistic that with the two proposed integrated bus terminals, traffic flow along the 24-kilometer EDSA will be eased as provincial buses will no longer cross Metro Manila to pick up or unload passengers.  

The MMDA said “connector terminals” or smaller bus terminals will also be built to link the south and north integrated bus terminals with the North and South Luzon Expressways.

The two terminals will also integrate other modes of public transport, such as jeepneys, the Light Rail Transit and the Metro Rail Transit for the convenience of commuters, the MMDA said.

Tolentino said it was President Aquino himself who pushed for the creation of the integrated terminals when he saw the overcrowding and congestion of commuters at bus terminals during the Holy Week break.

Tolentino said a similar scheme is being implemented in the South Korean province of Gyeong-Gi, which he had recently visited.

Two groups, however, opposed the MMDA’s plan. 1-Utak party-list Rep. Homer Mercado said in a media forum yesterday that he will initiate a congressional inquiry because he has been receiving complaints from commuters that the proposal will compel them to ride more buses to reach their destinations.

Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines president Alex Yague fears a “transport crisis” would occur if the MMDA plan pushes through. He believes the ban on provincial buses would also apply to Asian utility vehicle taxis plying provincial routes such as Cavite to Manila, and establishing a central terminal would violate the franchise given to the AUV taxis.    – With Nestor Etolle