LTFRB ‘ready’ for new traffic scheme in South Station terminal by Wednesday

Metro Manila traffic (Viet Images / Shutterstock)

MANILA — The Land Transportation and Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said it is ready to implement the new traffic scheme for out-of-line buses starting Wednesday (Aug. 20).

LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez, in a text message, said this following reports that Muntinlupa City Mayor Jimmy Fresnedi wanted a suspension on the supposed new traffic scheme due to lack of coordination from the agency.

Ginez explained that affected bus companies were already given prior notice during the meeting they had with the top rank officials of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and city mayors of Taguig, Pateros, Pasay and Muntinlupa last week.

To recall, it was during the meeting where the agencies involved agreed that a total of 556 out-of-line buses coming from Southern Luzon will use the South Station terminal, near the viaduct at Filinvest in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

With this new traffic scheme, out-of-line buses will no longer be allowed on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).

This works in such a way that buses from the expressway going to Alabang will detour to the Filinvest exit going to the South Station terminal to avoid traffic congestion along Alabang Viaduct.

“During the meeting last Friday at MMDA office…it was agreed that the 556 buses will terminate in Alabang, the list of bus companies affected were given to MMDA, PBOAP (Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines) and SOLUBOA (Southern Luzon Bus Operators Association),” Ginez said.

The LTFRB chair said it was also agreed in the meeting that local government units (LGUs) will be tasked to issue bus tags.