Manila-Legazpi bus route reopens

LEGAZPI CITY — The city government of Legazpi announced on Thursday the resumption of the Legazpi-Manila-Legazpi bus operation starting on Saturday, May 22.

The resumption of Manila-bound bus operation in this city, which has been suspended since the pandemic struck last year, was in line with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF) resolution allowing buses from southern Luzon to enter the national capital.

Mayor Noel Rosal, in a phone interview, said the city government has permitted the Bragais and the Bron Bus lines to operate the point-to-point (P2P) Legazpi-Manila-Legazpi routes.

The trip on Saturday will depart from the Legazpi terminal at 6 p.m. while the Manila-Legazpi route will leave the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) at 8 p.m. on the same day.

Rosal said three other bus companies — Alps, DLTB, and Peñafrancia — have been endorsed by the city government to resume operation once additional bus services are needed, depending on the demand.

Rosal said the resumption of bus operation would end the unchecked practice of private vans and cars that bring in paying passengers from Metro Manila and other COVID-19 hot spots, which the local IATF believed had triggered the spike of COVID cases in Bicol region.

Travelers will be required to present a negative result of their reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, Saliva Red Cross test, or Antigen test taken at most three days before their departure either from Legazpi or Paranaque.

Rosal said the Legazpi City Health Office offers RT-PCR tests to departing passengers at P400 each.

Arriving passengers should also show proof that they are coming to the city for work and have essential travel purposes, aside from a negative RT-PCR test result.

Passengers can book their trips a day before their scheduled travel either through the online facilities of the bus companies or by going to the Legazpi LKY Grand Terminal, the mayor added.

Passengers are also required to check in an hour before their scheduled departure.

Joselito Cestina, LKY Grand Terminal manager, said the fare for non-air-conditioned P2P buses is P800, while air-conditioned bus fares are from P900 to P1,000.

Buses will be required to strictly follow the 50 percent standard seating capacity and the minimum health protocols, such as wearing masks and face shields and maintaining the one-meter distance.

Earlier, the local governments of Tabaco City and Pioduran town, both in Albay province, have also permitted a P2P bus operation between Metro Manila and their respective localities.