MMDA opens Alabang bus hub

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Muntinlupa City government yesterday opened the South Interim Provincial Terminal in Alabang.

More than 230 provincial buses from Southern Tagalog and Bicol earlier barred by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) from entering Metro Manila will be accommodated at the terminal.

The bus hub located at the Filinvest area was originally scheduled to start operations on Aug. 20.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino and Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi opened the terminal with the tagging of three buses from Lemery, Batangas and Legazpi in Albay.

The MMDA earlier said it would be tagging identification stickers on a total of 556 provincial buses that would be using the Alabang terminal.

Tolentino said these buses have been identified by the LTFRB as those that have franchises to ply the Market Market and Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) routes but do not have terminals in these areas.

He said the provincial buses are considered out of line as they head to terminals at the Araneta Center in Cubao or Sampaloc, Manila, which are not their original franchises.

Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager for operations, said the stickers will help identify the buses allowed to use the Alabang terminal.

The local government of Muntinlupa will oversee the operations of the Alabang bus terminal, unlike the Southwest Interim Provincial Terminal at the Coastal Mall in Parañaque for Cavite-bound buses, which is being managed by the MMDA.

The mayors in the southern part of Metro Manila, the MMDA and LTFRB have agreed to allow provincial buses to enter the metropolis up to Alabang only.

The MMDA said the provincial buses are allowed to use the Alabang terminal temporarily pending completion of the FTI terminal.

Additional traffic enforcers were deployed around the Alabang terminal to help direct traffic.

The MMDA has advised affected buses to take the Filinvest exit from the South Luzon Expressway and proceed to the Alabang terminal to drop off commuters. From the Alabang South station, buses should take the Alabang viaduct to enter SLEX.

Bus passengers can transfer to city buses parked across the drop-off points of the provincial buses in the terminal, the MMDA said.