20 new Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange routes to be opened

MANILA, Philippines – Twenty new routes for public utility vehicles (PUV)  to and from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) will be opened, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the LTFRB ordered, through Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2019-005 dated January 23, 2019, the formation of 10 new routes for public utility buses (PUB), two for UV Express vans and eight for public utility jeepneys (PUJ).

The DOTr and the LTFRB are set to open the following routes:

Public Utility Buses

• PITX – Ternate
• PITX – Alfonso/Mendez
• PITX – Palapala, Dasmariñas
• PITX – Silang, Cavite
• PITX – Tagaytay City
• PITX – Cavite City
• PITX – Indang
• PITX – Manggahan, General Trias
• PITX – Lancaster New City
• PITX – Nasugbu via Ternate

UV Express Van 

• PITX – Alabang
• PITX – Tanza

Class 2 PUJ 

• PITX – Bayan Luma, Imus
• PITX – Alabang
• PITX – Tanza
• PITX – Bicutan via East Service Road
• PITX – Bicutan via West Service Road
• PITX – Sucat via Sucat Avenue
• PITX – Blumentritt
• PITX – Bacoor

Under the said MC, the LTFRB will award the franchise for the new routes to operators with vehicles that are compliant to the standards of the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“Para sa mga PUB unit, kailangang single deck ang mga ito, may Euro 4 o mas mainam pang emission standard, mababa ang sahig, ‘di bababa sa dalawa ang pinto, air-conditioned, may CCTV, dashboard camera, libreng WiFi, at automatic fare collection system. Kailangan ding salary- at hindi commission-based ang kompensasyon sa mga tsuper,” the agencies said.

(For PUBs, the unit must be single-deck, Euro 4 compliant, with low floors, with at least two doors, air conditioned, with CCTV, dashboard camera, free Wi-fi, with automatic fare collection and the drivers must be compensated through salaries, not commissions).

“Para sa mga UV Express, tanging ang mga unit na tumatalima sa Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) ang tatanggapin, habang ang mga Class 2 o 3 PUJ units ay kailangang sumusunod sa mga pamantayan ng OFG at Department of Trade and Industry – Bureau of Philippine Standards (DTI-BPS),” the agencies added.

(For UV Express, only units adhering to the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines will be entertained, while Class 2 – 3 PUJs must adhere to OFG guidelines and the Department of Trade and Industry – Bureau of Philippine Standards (DTI-BPS)).

Only one operator will be selected for each of the new routes.

The said operator should be able to provide at least 25 percent of required units for the route within three months, a minimum of 50 percent within five months, and a complete fleet of vehicles nine months from the release of the Notice of Selection.

The PITX bus terminal was inaugurated last Nov. 5 and was graced by President Rodrigo Duterte. / gsg

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