Passengers wait 12 hours in NCR bus terminals due to window hours chaos

Hundreds of passengers waited for as long as 12 hours in private bus terminals in Metro Manila due to a window-hours scheme for provincial buses that allows the use of private terminals only from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The windows scheme agreement was made by bus companies and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

In Joseph Morong’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, long lines of passengers were seen in bus stations in Cubao, Quezon City.

Amor Pelata, one of the passengers, said that she had been in the bus terminal since morning, but that she didn’t want to go to one of the designated integrated terminal exchanges (ITX) because her luggage was heavy.

Some of the passengers said that provincial bus operators had informed them that they could only take on and unload passengers in Metro Manila within the 10 p.m.–5 a.m. window, resulting in passengers who had arrived there in the morning waiting for hours until nighttime to get on the buses.

However, MMDA chairman Romando Artes pointed out that the window hours scheme does not mean that provincial buses should only operate during the evening period.

“’Yun po ang mali kasi hindi po absolute yung 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Pwede pa rin po silang bumiyahe. Hindi po sila pino-prohibit na bumiyahe outside of the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. window period,” Artes said.

(That’s the wrong thing they did because 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. is not absolute. They can still travel. They are not prohibited from traveling outside of the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. window period.)

Artes noted that the MMDA's policy of prohibiting passengers from using provincial bus terminals within Metro Manila and instead requiring them to unload and board at integrated terminals has not been altered.

“Wala po dapat kaguluhan or miscommunication na nangyari,” he added.

(There should have been no confusion or miscommunication.)

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which has clarified that it was not part of the window hours agreement, also said that the  scheme does not mean that provincial buses should only operate during the evening period.

“The agreement with the provincial bus operators, as explained by the MMDA during the meeting of officials from both agencies, was that the said operators may use their private terminals only from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM,” it said.

The LTFRB said that beyond the window period, provincial buses may use selected integrated terminal exchange (ITX) areas to take on and unload passengers.

Beyond the window hours, the LTFRB said their origin and destination must be at the following integrated terminal exchange areas, where there are city buses that will ferry the passengers:

• PITX: Quezon, Region 4-A, MIMAROPA, and Bicol
• PITX at  Araneta Center Cubao: Region 4-A CALABARZON
• NLET: Region 1, 2, and CAR
• NLET and  Araneta Center Cubao: Region 3
• SRIT: provincial buses from Visayas and Mindanao
• A free ride was also implemented on Thursday going to NLET and from NLET to PITX.

The LTFRB has asked the bus operators to explain their side.

“Kapag hindi sila nakakasunod [If they don’t obey the policy], they will be meted with penalty,” said LTFRB Executive Director Tina Cassion.

Cassion further emphasized, “Problema kasi sa kanila, ginawa nilang hostage ang kapakanan ng mga pasahero sa kagustuhan nila, sa very willful nila, na gusto nila sa private terminals nila.”

(The problem with them is that they have held the welfare of the passengers hostage to their will, that they want them at their private terminals.)

No QR code, special permits

Meanwhile, Nagkakaisang Samahan ng Nangangasiwa ng Panlalawigang Bus sa Pilipinas Inc.  (NSNPBPI) said they agree with the policy but reiterated that many of the provincial buses have no QR codes and special permits for them to enter Metro Manila outside the window hours.

“Sixty to 70 percent ng fleet niya,” said NSNPBPI executive director Alex Yague. “[...H]indi katanggap-tanggap sa mga operator na hindi mo puwedeng gamitin ‘yung sariling terminal kung hindi sa ITX ka lamang.”

(No. It’s just that the requirement is not acceptable for the operators…that you can’t use your own terminal, just the ITX.) — Mel Matthew Doctor/BM, GMA News