Terminal for provincial buses opened in Parañaque

A Mass and a ribbon-cutting ceremony highlighted the formal opening early Tuesday of an integrated provincial terminal for buses arriving in Metro Manila from provinces in Southern Luzon.

 

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino was among the officials who took part in the ribbon-cutting, radio dzBB's Rodil Vega reported.

 

The Mass at the Southwest Integrated Terminal at the Coastal Mall in Parañaque was held at about 5 a.m., the report added.

 

With the terminal now open, buses from provinces such as Cavite and Batangas will have to stop there and can no longer proceed further into Metro Manila.

 

Passengers from Southern Luzon are to get another ride to Metro Manila via city buses at the terminal.

 

Porters were present to help passengers with their luggage at the terminal, which also featured an air-conditioned waiting area and a chapel.

 

Earlier, the MMDA said the terminal will provide order to the operations of legitimate passenger buses plying the Cavite-Manila route.

 

The MMDA said Cavite mayors signed a manifesto expressing full support to the MMDA's efforts to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

 

The MMDA added the new terminal will use the biometric-based system where drivers are subjected to fingerprint scanning for verification before they are allowed to ply their routes.

 

It said the terminal can handle 955 passenger buses plying Cavite and Batangas provinces a day.

 

After the Southwest Integrated Terminal, two others will be set up in Metro Manila, including one at Trinoma Mall in Quezon City, and at Filinvest in Alabang, Muntinlupa. —KG, GMA News