MMDA: LTFRB to cut franchise routes of provincial buses  

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will cut the franchise routes of provincial buses as part of the provincial bus ban on Edsa being implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

“There will be no revocation of the [bus] franchises,” MMDA Edsa traffic head Bong Nebrija said on Friday when first asked if the LTFRB will revoke the franchises of the provincial buses.

As part of the MMDA’s plan to ban provincial buses along Edsa, the agency will require such buses to load and unload passengers in integrated bus terminals: Santa Rosa, Laguna for those coming from the south; Valenzuela City for those coming from the north; and Parañaque City to those coming from the Cavite province.

And in lieu of provincial buses, the MMDA is eyeing to deploy point-to-point buses (P2P) for luggage-laden commuters. Meanwhile, passengers with no luggage can use city buses having routes extended to the bus terminals in Santa Rosa and Valenzuela.

““We shall have the same number of provincial buses. Some provincial buses will only be converted to P2P since they have baggage compartments,” MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia said after a meeting with the Metro Manila Council.

“What will happen is that is cutting of the franchise route – kung dati mayroon silang franchise route na province to Cubao or province to Pasay, now it will be just province to Sta. Rosa and province to Valenzuela,” Nebrija later explained.

“I do not have the timeline with the LTFRB,” he said when asked if the cutting franchise route will be implemented in June. “We already submitted the intention that this will be done to include yung mga P2P buses.”

Nebrija added that the intention will later be discussed when the MMDA will meet with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the mayors of the Local Government Units (LGUs).

“We will also address next week, magpapadala na tayo ng city buses dun sa Sta. Rosa and Valenzuela and we will see the improvement coming from the provinces na mag participate ng dry run,” he said.  /muf