PITX-Davao City route launched, one-way fare at P3,680

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday opened a new route for passengers bound for Davao City from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).

Starting June 15, the PITX to Davao City bus route will have daily trips every 2:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the route from Davao City back to PITX will start on June 20.

The one-way fare cost P3,680, inclusive of two roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) or ferry rides for inter-island travel.

The route has several stops—Turbina/Sto. Tomas/Laguna, Quirino Meal Place, Naga Terminal, Sorsogon/Matnog, Allen/Samar, Tacloban, Sogod/So. Leyte, Liloan, Surigao, Kitcharao, Butuan, San Francisco, Monkayo, and Tagum— before its final at Davao City.

The travel time may take three days and two nights for the 1,500-kilometer trip.

The Davao Metro Shuttle, the operator of the bus route, is offering 50% discount for those who will avail of the maiden route on its opening day.

While travelers may opt for a faster plane ride to Davao City from Metro Manila, LTFRB executive director Tina Cassion said that “there are really people naman talaga na they really prefer riding the bus, especially with the freight. ‘Yung meron kasing capability din ‘yung bus sa ilalim niya they can carry more than what is being carried doon sa mga airlines dahil mas mahal ‘yung ano [fee] daw ng mga airlines.”

(There are really people who prefer riding the bus, especially with the freight. The bus has more capacity to carry more than what is being carried by the airlines and the fee is higher for the airlines.)

“Then, siyempre ‘yung going to the province, there are people na they prefer riding the buses rather than eroplano,” she said.

(Then, of course, there are people who prefer riding the buses rather than airplanes when going to the province.)

The Davao Metro Shuttle provides 15 Volvo B8R bus units.

The bus units have hydraulic self-leveling seats for riders’ comfort. The engine's emission is Euro 5, higher than the Euro 4 required by the Department of Transportation.

The bus units are also equipped with wide reclining leather seats with individual USB ports for charging as well as a rest room located at the rear of the bus. — BM, GMA News