MMDA lifts bus ban

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has lifted its provincial bus ban after the agency failed to secure the interim terminal in Valenzuela City, an official said yesterday.

Bong Nebrija, MMDA supervising operations officer, told The STAR that the ban was temporarily lifted on Wednesday as the interim bus terminal is not yet ready for operation, more than a month after the agency implemented the policy.

This also means that provincial buses are no longer exempt from the MMDA’s number coding scheme, he added.

The MMDA imposed the provincial bus ban on Aug. 15 as part of the agency’s measures to ease traffic in the metropolis.

Under the MMDA’s traffic measure, northbound provincial buses are supposed to stay in their terminals in Pasay City while southbound buses will have to stay in their terminals in Cubao, Quezon City from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The affected provincial buses are exempted from the number coding scheme during the implementation of the bus ban from Monday to Friday, except weekends.

Ronald Sarmiento, Victory Liner operations manager, said their terminal in Pasay was greatly affected by the ban as they lost around 100 trips each day since their buses’ arrival and departure hours were affected.

Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian confirmed yesterday that the interim bus terminal is not yet ready for operation following concerns raised by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The MMDA previously said that they need to modify the terminal for the convenience of the commuters and they also have to determine the routes of the buses in cooperation with the LTFRB.