Bus operators back Congress probe into integrated terminal PPP concessions
THE SOUTHERN Luzon Bus Operators’ Association (SOLUBOA), the region’s largest organization of bus operators, supports a move in Congress to investigate the government’s concession agreement for the construction of Integrated Transport Systems in the South and South West.
In a statement, SOLUBOA, which earlier expressed its opposition to the government’s planned South and South West provincial bus terminals, said the government deal is “disadvantageous” and stakeholders were not consulted prior to identifying the planned terminals for the project.
“SOLUBOA is not in favor, and will not support the current identified terminals for several reasons, (including) the interest of the commuting public,” the group said in its statement on Monday.
It noted that since late last year, major engineering conflicts have surfaced in the planned interfacing of the terminals, to be located at the Food Terminal, Inc. (FTI) compound, and the Skyway interchange design. There have also been delays in the Skywayto-C5 interchange which will impact the construction of the Integrated Transport Systems.
“Bus operators from Southern Luzon who will be using the South Integrated Transport System (SITS) have expressed displeasure over the Food Terminal, Inc. complex site location, complaining, that their operations would be affected by entering the heavily-congested portions of SLExSkyway, resulting in increased travel time, and reduced turnaround times when disembarking and picking up passengers,” SOLUBOA added.
The group also pointed out that the configuration of the SITS vis-a-vis the Skyway would mean buses need to take the Skyway elevated system to access the SITS, thereby incurring extra costs.
Between 4,000 and 5,000 buses serve routes running south of Metro Manila.
The House Committee on Transportation in a hearing last week noted the importance of consulting and closely working with stakeholders, particularly bus operators, highlighting the lack of sufficient experience of the winning concessionaire in terms of public transportation operations.
The committee also questioned the feasibility study used to determine the viability of the provincial bus terminal and noted that the financial details of the project should be scrutinized.
The Integrated Terminal System, under the public- private program, aims to decongest roads in the metropolis by barring provincial buses from the South and North from entering the city, particularly EDSA.
The group said the government can still find a “better alternative, well-conceived location and design and better compromise other than the identified South and South West provincial bus terminals.”
The development of the SITS at the former FTI compound in Taguig, a 5.7 hectare site adjacent to the South Luzon Expressway was awarded by the Department of Transportation (DoTr) to Arca South, controlled by Ayala Land, in January 2016.