Press Release
The country’s major bus operators associations agreed that the government’s planned Integrated Transport System (ITS) is a commendable project that will positively benefit both bus operators and passengers. The optimistic feedback was aired during a stakeholders’ conference conducted by the Department of Transportation and Communications, Land Transportation, Regulatory and Franchising Board, the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Public-Private Partnership Center. The bus operators association and other members present were from the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP), Southern Luzon Bus Operators Association, Inc. (SOLUBOA), Inter-City Bus Operators Association (INTERBOA), PROBUS, DLTB Co., PHILTRANCO, ISAROG and BALIWAG Transit.
DOTC Assistant Secretary Jaime Feliciano gave the assurance that the results of the stakeholder’s conference will be included in creating the feasibility study of the ITS project. “There will be a series of consultations that will be conducted. We want to hear what you have to say about this project. That is why we are involving all our stakeholders. Your feedback is very important to us and we want to incorporate these into the feasibility study,” Feliciano said.
PBOAP President Alex Yague stressed that while bus the operators welcome the planned move towards having world class terminals in the metropolis, there are concerns about cost and the use of the old bus terminals that the DOTC should address. Under the project, provincial buses will not be allowed to traverse EDSA. He added that DOTC should look into local experiences where central bus terminals, particularly in the provinces, have been operating and learn from them.
Christina Velasco of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority urged bus operators to submit their position papers and suggestions on the proposed ITS project to serve as valuable inputs to the study.
The DOTC, through the PPP Center’s Project Development and Monitoring Fund (PDMF) has commissioned Feedback Infra to prepare the project’s feasibility study. Feedback Infra is a seasoned technical service company in India that has successfully developed infrastructure projects for its clients. The PDMF is a facility offered by the Center to implementing agencies to help ensure that PPP projects are viable and well-structured for procurement.
Under the ITS project, three (3) mass transportation intermodal terminals will be built. Two will be in the south serving those in the Cavite Laguna Batangas side. The proposed terminal sites in the south include the Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) Site in Taguig City and the Philippine Reclamation Area (PRA) near Uniwide Coastal Mall in Paranaque City. The north terminal, however, is yet to be determined. The state-of-the-art terminals will house passenger terminal buildings, arrival and departure bays, ticketing and baggage handling facilities and park-ride facilities.
