PITX concessionaire told to address operational issues

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has called for the immediate action of MWM Terminals Inc., the concessionaire of the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), to fix operational issues hounding the country’s first landport.

In a letter dated Dec. 18, Trasportation Undersecretary for road transport and infrastructure Mark de Leon detailed operational issues inside the PITX and recommended the courses of action to ensure the convenience of the commuting public.

The DOTr asked the concessionaire for the submission of a revised traffic plan to improve vehicular flow inside the terminal, and the installation of conspicuous directional signage to improve passenger circulation.

MWM was also requested to adjust the loading time at departure bays, as provincial bus operators have pointed out in an earlier dialogue with the DOTr that the 15-minute loading time is short and insufficient during off-peak hours.

De Leon also indicated the need to decongest the public utility jeepney loading and unloading areas, and the lack of ventilation therein, to reduce the passengers’ exposure to health risks from vehicular smoke.

The DOTr also advised MWM to coordinate with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to install bigger reflectorized stickers on buses to easily and effectively distinguish city buses from provincial buses.

To familiarize bus drivers and conductors with the PITX dispatching system, the concessionaire was also requested to prepare informational materials explaining the dispatching and scheduling system to drivers and conductors.

The DOTr also recommended the improvement of the existing centralized announcement system to include departure announcements per boarding gate, similar to airports, to easily notify passengers of bus bay activities such as arrival and departure of buses.

Further, the agency reminded MWM to implement the deployment of free shuttle services to ferry passengers from PITX to Baclaran and back, to augment the free shuttle services provided by the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard.

To ensure the safety and security of PITX users, MWM was also directed to strictly implement and observe security protocols especially during rush hour. In line with this, the concessionaire must carry out a terminal security assessment and submit a road transportation security plan.

“The DOTr emphasizes that even as the department and its attached agencies work on improving the operations of the country’s first landport, concessionaire MWM Terminals must uphold its shared responsibility as a private sector partner to provide the Filipinos the service they deserve,” the DOTr said.

Megawide subsidiary MWM Terminals has been awarded the 35-year build-operate-transfer concession for the PITX in 2015.