Despite hurdles, EDSA provincial bus ban guidelines set

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), through Memorandum Circular No. 2019-31, has set guidelines for the impending closure of provincial bus terminals on EDSA, as well as amended the routes of such buses plying the thoroughfare.

But for the memorandum to take effect, local government officials, particularly in Quezon City and Pasay, must first enforce Metro Manila Council (MMC) Resolution No. 2019-002 which revokes all existing business permits for provincial bus terminals on EDSA.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), after conducting a dry run of the bus ban, was forced to shelve the plan for months as lawmakers sought a temporary restraining order against the policy, saying it called for police powers that were outside the MMDA’s mandate, a report posted Wednesday in the Philippine Daily Inquirer said.

According to the same report, MMDA EDSA traffic chief Edison “Bong” Nebrija said in an interview the agency would write to the local officials concerned within the week, asking them to abide by the MMC resolution.

Under the LTFRB memorandum, some 1,477 provincial buses coming from the north would now have to end their trips at the Valenzuela Interim Terminal while over 880 buses from the south, and which have terminals in Cubao, Quezon City, would have to drop off their passengers at the Santa Rosa Interim Terminal.

The 379 Pasay City-based buses coming from the southern provinces can travel only up to Parañaque Interim Terminal Exchange, the Inquirer said.

The memorandum also extends the routes of 446 city buses to the three terminals, allowing them to pick up passengers bound for Metro Manila.

Fares will be adjusted along with the changes in routes.

President Rodrigo Duterte in his fourth State of the Nation Address delivered Monday called on the MMDA to “undertake immediate action to ensure the speedy and smooth flow of vehicular traffic.”