MMDA sets sights on illegal transport hubs

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will investigate reports of illegal transport terminals in the metropolis, particularly in Pasay City, whose operators spend millions on protection money to maintain them, MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said yesterday.

He said the problem also plagues Marikina, Malabon and Navotas.

“We will act on it. I’ll just finish bus tagging and the smoking ban,” he told The STAR over the phone.

Tolentino said the MMDA is already “conducting investigations” into the anomalies, but declined to divulge more information.

“I cannot reveal it to you yet because many people will be affected. Some of them are protected by ”police officers and local traffic enforcers,” he said.

When asked if politicians are also involved, Tolentino again declined to answer.

Protection money

In a letter to Malacañang dated August 2010, an alleged traffic enforcer claimed there are at least 16 illegal bus terminals in Pasay City.

The enforcer said most of the terminals are located along Gil Puyat Avenue, Edsa, and Roxas Boulevard and do not have mayor’s permit and are operating out of line.

The operators of the terminals fork over at least P750,000 each month.

“This amount does not include the money shelled out by tricycles, local jeepneys, FX terminals and buses running from Cavite to Manila. Each aircon bus passing through Roxas Boulevard is required to pay P50 and each mini-bus, P30,” the letter-sender said.

The enforcer said at least P2 million in protection money is given each month, and reportedly funneled to the the Pasay Traffic and Parking Management Office, a barangay councilman, and a Cavite police officer who acts as bodyguard of a Pasay politician.

The enforcer said he used to join “traffic operations” against the illegal terminals, but he later found out that these operations are just ruses to pressure operators to pay protection money.

It was there that he found that these are a front to pressure terminal operators to pay protection money.

In a separate interview with Senior Superintendent Napoleon Cuaton, city police chief, he admitted the continued existence of illegal terminals but claimed that police officers are not involved in traffic problems unless there are accidents or road violence.

“That job is for the local government and the MMDA. I cannot meddle with that unless the mayor or the MMDA gives me directives,” Cuaton said.