DENNIS MALIWANAG/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Starting next Wednesday, a total of 556 out-of-line buses coming from Southern Luzon will no longer be allowed on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or Edsa under a bus route rationalization program of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Metro Manila.
Instead of utilizing a bus terminal at Market! Market! in Taguig City as proposed by the LTFRB, Metro Manila mayors agreed during a meeting on Thursday to use an existing terminal near the viaduct at Filinvest in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the terminal at South Station could be used next week as Filinvest Corp., which owns the property, has granted approval for its use.
“We will deploy additional traffic enforcers from the Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau, Public Order and Safety Office and Philippine National Police to monitor smooth traffic flow for the commuters,” Muntinlupa City administrator Allan Cachuela said.
He added that buses from the expressway going to Alabang will detour to the Filinvest exit going to the South Station terminal to avoid a buildup of traffic at the Alabang Viaduct area.
The Muntinlupa mayor, however, warned residents in the city to brace themselves for heavier traffic as the new traffic system is implemented.
“We plead for everyone’s cooperation in the adjustment of the routes of provincial buses,” Fresnedi added.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino said that the Alabang terminal will temporarily accommodate the out-of-line buses starting Aug. 20.
“These 556 buses are those always apprehended for out-of-line violations along Edsa,” Tolentino said, noting that these vehicles from the south end up going to Cubao in Quezon or Sampaloc in Manila where they do not have designated bus stops.
The MMDA chief said that they planned to bar a total of 1,138 buses from entering Edsa but he pointed that that the location of a terminal for the 583 other buses still needed to be worked out. These buses will therefor still be allowed on Buendia in Pasay City even if they do not have terminals there.
These buses, according to LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez, also come from southern Luzon but are bound for Lawton, also known is Liwasang Bonifacio, in Manila and they enter Buendia where they also cause heavy traffic.
Tolentino said his people were coordinating with Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto regarding a temporary terminal for these buses.
Ginez earlier suggested that the terminal for these out-of-line buses coming from the south be located in Market! Market! Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano opposed the idea, saying the place was not designed to be a terminal.
“The Sampaguita ramp which is the proposed area where bus slots will be placed has not yet been tested if it is structurally sound to hold the buses,” Cayetano added.
She also said allowing provincial buses in Market! Market! would worsen traffic along C5 Road in Taguig.
Pateros Mayor Joey Medina said buses coming from the south will eventually have their terminal at the FTI compound in Taguig. The facility is still under construction.