Makati City to boost free shuttle service for MRT passengers

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City government on Monday said it would buy four new buses to augment the two city buses and four coasters now being used for the free shuttle of passengers from the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) North Avenue terminal to the Stock Exchange building in Ayala Avenue.

Last March 27, the Makati City government started ferrying MRT passengers who could not ride on the trains to their offices at the Central Business District from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. The shuttle service is offered from Monday to Friday.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said the additional vehicles would allow more commuters to benefit from the program.

“Our present fleet of vehicles could only accommodate up to 250 passengers per trip, and the overwhelming response of the public to our program in its initial run has prompted our decision to add more buses, so that more citizens would benefit,” Binay said.

Binay also directed the various Makati barangays to also send their respective service vehicles to augment the passenger capacity of the shuttle service.

Earlier, Binay ordered the deployment of two city-owned buses and four coasters, all new, for the city’s free shuttle services program catering to Ayala-bound commuters to ease their daily struggle in going to work.

Binay said that although the intended beneficiaries are not Makati residents, the city government is looking out for their welfare as well because they also contribute to the city’s economic growth.

Escorted by the Makati police and city traffic managemet personnel from the designated boarding area near the MRT North Avenue Station in Quezon City, the six-vehicle convoy has been able to make an average of two non-stop trips daily to the Makati Stock Exchange Building in Ayala Avenue between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. on the first two days.

The free shuttle service offering point-to-point, non-stop trips was conceptualized by Mayor Binay to provide respite to commuters, especially Makati-based employees, who have to contend with long lines at MRT-3 stations and frequent breakdowns of MRT trains. It is also intended to help alleviate the expected impact of the simultaneous implementation of major road infrastructure projects of the government along EDSA and other major thoroughfares.

“We intend to continue offering free shuttle services to Makati workers, especially since traffic along EDSA is expected to get worse because of simultaneous major road infrastructure projects,” Binay said.

On regular workdays, Makati’s population of over 500,000 residents swells during daytime to over four million to include millions of workers in the city’s offices and establishments coming from other localities in Metro Manila and adjoining provinces, including Bulacan, Rizal and Cavite.