DOTC picks 3 sites for north bus terminal

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has identified three possible locations for the north terminal of the proposed P7.7-billion Integrated Transport System (ITS) under the Aquino administration’s public private partnership (PPP) program.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the government has identified the property of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) in Caloocan City, the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, and the Seedling Bank at the corner of Quezon Ave. and Edsa as the possible sites for the proposed terminal.

“There are three (possible sites). These are the Caloocan PNR site, UP, and a new discovery would be Seedling Bank along Quezon Ave. and Edsa,” he added.

He pointed out that the DOTC is already talking with Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista for the Seedling Bank as the possible site for the proposed North ITS.

On the other hand, Abaya said the agency was able to resolve the issues including the location of the exit ramp that delayed the bidding for the proposed South ITS to be situated inside the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) Complex in Taguig City.

He explained that the location of the exit ramp along Circumferential Road-6 (C6) has already been included in the Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement (STOA).

According to him, the National Food Authority (NFA) is looking for a relocation site for its warehouse situated inside the FTI Complex. “It is a priority project of the President and they are looking for another warehouse for NFA,” he said.

A total of 11 companies have expressed interest in the bidding for the proposed P2.5 billion Southwest Terminal.

The P7.7-billion ITS project was one of the seven major infrastructure projects worth P184.2 billion approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA.

The project involves the establishment of three mass transportation intermodal terminals at the outskirts of Metro Manila – one in the north of Edsa serving passengers to and from northern Luzon and two in the south serving passengers to and from Laguna or Batangas side and those to and from the Cavite side.

The ITS project aims to maximize road usage by reducing vehicle volume and eliminating provincial bus traffic to improve traffic flow along Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares particularly Edsa.