Pasig City launches free bus service at Ortigas Center

This is one of the buses that will be deployed by the Pasig City government for its free bus service program at the Ortigas Center. The service was launched on June 22, 2016. (Photo by Arianne Cardiño)

MANILA — The local government of Pasig City launched on Wednesday (June 22) a P3.3-million bus service that will ferry the public for free within the Ortigas Center in an effort to not only reduce the volume of cars plying the route but also ensure a much cleaner air in the business district.

Mayor Maribel Eusebio, who led the launch, said that a study of the Pasig City Land Use and Transport has identified the low level of efficiency of the public transportation passing through Ortigas Center as among the problems that the city government must address immediately.

Through this project, co-developed with the Ortigas Center Association Inc., Association of Building Managers, the Department of Environment and National Resources and the Department of Transportation and Communications, Eusebio expressed hope the city government would be able to tackle key environment issues such as energy efficiency, climate change mitigation and air quality management.

For now, the minibuses will only operate on weekdays during rush hour—from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.; 12 nn to 2 p.m.; and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. From point to point, the minibuses will have an interval time of 20 to 25 minutes.

Eusebio said that the 25-seater minibus has been equipped with four CCTV cameras and a global positioning system to ensure the safety of the passengers. She added that the initial eight minibuses they deployed would ply four routes within the city’s central business district.

The Green Route starts from San Miguel Avenue to Exchange Road, Jade Drive, Service Road, J. Vargas, Meralco Avenue, H. Javier Street, Capitol Commons, Shaw Boulevard, Escriva Drive, Goldloop, Escriva Drive, Shaw Boulevard and back to San Miguel Avenue.

The Red Route covers Frontera Verde, J. Vargas Avenue, Meralco Avenue, Ortigas Avenue then back to Frontera Verde. Blue Route will start from Garnet Road to Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Avenue, Meralco Avenue, Exchange Road, Jade Drive, Amethyst Street, Pearl Drive, Goldloop, Escriva Drive, and back to Goldloop, Pearl Drive, Lourdes Street, San Miguel Avenue, and ADB Avenue.

For the Yellow Route, minibuses will travel from Shaw Boulevard to Meralco Avenue, J. Vargas Avenue, Lanuza Avenue, St. Martin Street, H. Javier Street to Oranbo Drive.

Eusebio said that should the public welcome the project, her husband, incoming Mayor Bobby Eusebio, may purchase additional minibuses to accommodate more passengers. (Report filed by Arianne Cardiño, Inquirer trainee) SFM/rga