North Metro terminal construction to start in October

MANILA, Philippines - Barring any hitches, the construction of the north Metro Manila integrated bus terminal will start by October, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the north Metro Manila integrated bus terminal will be built by private contractors on an 11.7-hectare private property at the Balintawak area in Quezon City.

He said bus passengers from the provinces will arrive at the integrated bus terminal and ferried into other areas of Metro Manila either by inter-city buses, taxis or even by the Light Rail Transit train system. He said the terminal will also have tickets that can be used for any bus.

The MMDA said it intends to relocate 86 bus terminals in Metro Manila to the integrated bus terminals located in the northern and southern points of Metro Manila. The MMDA estimates that at least 154,153 passengers ride provincial buses every day.