By Chito Chavez
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Wednesday ordered the closure of a bus terminal along North Avenue, saying it used spurious documents and fake permits to legitimize its operation.
(Rio Leonelle Deluvio / Manila Bulletin file photo)
Margie Santos officer-in-charge (OIC) of the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Department (BPLD), said Baliwag Transit violated the city’s Revenue Code by presenting the documents of its terminal on E. Rodriguez Ave. to support the operation of its EDSA-North terminal.
City officials noted the property in EDSA-North should only be used as a bus depot and not as a terminal.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia, who was with Belmonte, said the MMDA has been flooded with complaints that taxis and motorcycles linger in the terminal area, tying up traffic.
Gilbert Robles, officer-in-charge of Baliwag Transit-Cubao Terminal, denied the depot has been converted into a terminal.
Robles said it was used as a temporary unloading area earlier this year for the convenience of passengers.
Garcia said the MMDA has a no-loading, unloading policy along EDSA for provincial buses.
The MMDA and the city government authorities have ordered Baliwag Transit to apply for another special use permit (SUP), this time for depot operations.
Robles insisted that Baliwag buses unload their passengers at its terminal in Cubao.
Meanwhile, to check the legitimacy of the operation of bus firms, Belmonte said the city government plans to come up with a matrix to ensure that all bus terminals in the city are compliant with standard requirements.
Santos said the matrix will especially target the bus terminals along EDSA.
He said the matrix will be submitted to Belmonte soon.
On MMDA’s part, Garcia ordered EDSA traffic chief Bong Nebrija to apprehend those who will try to use the terminal after it has been closed.
Earlier, Belmonte urged other establishments that operate through conditional permits issued by the past administration to submit their remaining requirements to avoid closure.