By Aerol John Pateña/PNA
MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is eyeing to remove all bus terminals along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) by June.
The Metro Manila Council (MMC), MMDA’s policy-making body, approved the resolution prohibiting the issuance of business permits to all public utility bus terminals and operators and other public utility vehicles along Edsa during its meeting held Tuesday at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City.
“Our direction is to remove all bus terminals along Edsa and relocate them in the outskirts of the metro to minimize traffic congestion,” MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said during the meeting.
He said the regulation is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to close down all bus terminals along the major thoroughfare.
MMDA general manager Jose Arturo “Jojo” Garcia, meanwhile, said the removal of bus terminals will improve traffic flow along Edsa as provincial buses would no longer be allowed to enter Metro Manila to load and unload passengers.
The agency will recommend the closure of bus terminals by April in coordination with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
“We shall conduct a dry run after the Holy Week in April so as to prepare the operators and also the commuters,” Garcia said.
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.
