Pasay eyes central bus terminal

A central bus terminal will soon rise in Pasay City to ease traffic particularly in areas where units wait for passengers bound for the provinces.

Pasay City officials are now negotiating with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) for the construction of an intermodal terminal at the reclamation area for all buses.

City Engineer Edwin Javaluyas said the project also aims to provide commuters comfort by pinpointing a particular site where they can get easily get rides to the provinces.

"These buses, which are stationed along EDSA and Taft Avenue, have been contributing to the heavy traffic buildup. We would like to address this issue with the construction of a new terminal at the reclamation area," Javaluyas told The STAR.

He said the setting up of a new passenger terminal is timely as this will help create order among motorists and commuters, especially with the formal opening of the Mall of Asia, which is situated on the reclamation area along Roxas Boulevard.

Though a number of establishments have already been built in the site, the mall, envisioned to become a popular shopping and dining complex, will have its grand opening this November.

Javaluyas said they are targeting southbound buses stationed at Pasay terminals and bring them together to this new station, which will be more spacious. These include units going to Cavite, Quezon and Batangas as well as those limited to Metro Manila routes.

Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad said the terminal project will have a dispatching system that will make the loading and unloading of passengers more orderly.

Apart from the DOTC, the Pasay terminal project will also involve the Public Estates Authority, the SM Group of Companies and the Metrobank Group. – Rhodina Villanueva