Chaos mars opening of MMDA bus hub

MANILA, Philippines - Chaos marred the opening of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) bus hub at the Uniwide Coastal Mall in Parañaque City yesterday.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, who personally inspected the opening of the Southwest Interim Transport Terminal (SITT), found himself at the receiving end of complaints from commuters.

The integrated bus terminal was designed to accommodate provincial buses from Batangas and Cavite in order to decongest EDSA. At the terminal, commuters from the two provinces can either take another bus to EDSA, an FX taxi to Manila or a taxi.

For 57-year-old teacher Helen Iligan of Dasmariñas, Cavite, the operation of the terminal means delays as she and other commuters would have to transfer to another bus upon arrival at the transport hub.

“I have been rising early to commute, but now I have to rise even earlier,” she said, adding that she does not mind the extra amount they would have to shell out for bus fare.

Some commuters were forced to wait for jeepneys in the middle of the road while others had to climb a nearby pedestrian overpass to get a ride on the other side of the road.

Bus drivers were also confused on where to park despite the big signs put up by the MMDA at the terminal.

Trouble expected

Tolentino said such problems are expected since it is the first day of the terminal’s operation.

“We understand that there will be confusion but I believe that in the next few days this will be fixed,” he said.

Tolentino said the MMDA is coordinating with all stakeholders – the bus operators, local officials and other government agencies such as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to ensure the terminal’s smooth operation.

He added that the LTFRB is set to hear on Aug. 23 the MMDA’s petition for a P2 fare reduction for bus passengers from Cavite and Batangas.

Meanwhile, National Center for Commuter Safety and Protection president Elvie Medina said the confusion “just shows the lack of preparedness and study by the MMDA.”

She predicted that the MMDA’s transport hub scheme will fail and “will cause inconvenience every single day” because “there is no effort to really analyze what causes Metro Manila traffic.”

Medina is opposing the scheme because there is no developed intra- and inter-city modal system that would support a centralized bus terminal scheme. She says that provincial buses, which comprise around six percent of overall vehicular traffic along EDSA, are not the problem.

City buses, illegal jeepneys, bad driving habits and the lack of a more expansive road network contribute to EDSA traffic, she said.