By Dhel Nazario
Bus terminals along EDSA will soon be closed for good with the impending prohibition and cancellation of their business permits, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Tuesday.
Metro buses line up in a traffic jam during rush hour morning, along EDSA Quezon City. (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN)
During a meeting by the Metro Manila Council (MMC), a resolution has been approved prohibiting the issuance of business permits to all public utility bus terminals and operators and other public utility vehicles along EDSA.
MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim, who presided the meeting, said the approved regulation is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's order to close down all bus terminals along the major artery.
"Our direction is to remove all bus terminals along EDSA and relocate them in the outskirts of the metro to minimize traffic congestion," said Lim.
He said the role of local government units are crucial to prepare for the eventual removal of the terminals since they are the ones issuing the business permits needed to operate the business establishments.
Lim said they will recommend the closure of bus terminals by April in coordination with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
In the resolution, it was mentioned that "the ingress and egress of public utility buses and other public utility vehicles in and out of the respective terminals along EDSA greatly contribute to the traffic congestion which is being experienced daily by motorists and commuters alike in this major thoroughfare."
The regulation has yet to be signed by all the Metro Mayors that compose the MMC, the policy-making and governing body of the MMDA and its publication before implementation.
“We shall conduct a dry run after the Holy Week in April so as to prepare the operators and also the commuters,” MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said.
At present, several terminals are being constructed for provincial buses originating from south and north of Metro Manila, including a terminal in Valenzuela City and one in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
We hope to close down all terminals by June,” said MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia, citing that with the closure of provincial bus terminals, traffic flow on EDSA would be better as provincial buses would no longer be allowed to enter Metro Manila to load and unload passengers.