LTFRB to reopen pre-pandemic non-EDSA bus routes beginning Monday
MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is reopening 33 pre-pandemic non-EDSA city bus routes beginning Monday just as students head back to campuses for in-person classes.
The agency also said that bus routes created under the general community quarantine “that are found to be responsive to passenger demand” will be retained, while 68 pre-pandemic jeepney routes and 32 UV Express routes will also reopen.
“We are pretty confident that these routes will be enough with the existing units because for the city bus routes, it covers 90% of the pre-pandemic routes for the non-EDSA [buses]... with respect to the jeepneys, it’s 70% of the coverage,” LTFRB Spokesman Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil said in a mix of English and Filipino on Wednesday.
Bus routes include:
- EDSA Busway
- Angono - Quiapo via Ortigas Avenue
- Antipolo - Quiapo via Cubao
- Bonifacio Global City - PITx
- NLET - PITs
- Sapang Palay - PITx via Quezon Avenue
- Fairview (Nova Stop) - PITx via East Avenue, Timog, Quezon Avenue
- Angat - Divisoria
- Angat - Monumento
- Ayala - Alabang (Starmall)
- Ayala - Balibago
- Ayala - Biñan
- Bagong Silang - Sta. Cruz via Malinta Exit
- Balagtas Monumento
- Bonifacio Global City - Alabang (Starmall)
- Eastwood Libis - Marriot Term via Acropolic
- Fairview (Nova Stop) - Ayala via Quezon Avenue
- North EDSA - Bonifacio Global City
- Norzagaray FVR - Sta. Cruz via Marilao Exit
- Sapang Palay - Sta. Cruz via Malinta Exit
- Sapang Palay - Sta Cruz via Sta. Maria
- Sta. Maria - PITx via R10
- Alabang (South Station Terminal) - Plaza Lawton via Alabang Zapote
- Alabang (Starmall) - Plaza Lawton via SLEX
- Biñan - Plaza Lawton
- Cavite City - PITx
- Dasmariñas - PITx
- Naic - PITx
- Silang - PITx
- Balibago - PITx
- Trece Martirez - PITx
- General Mariano Alvarez - PITx
- Fairview (Nova Stop) - North EDSA
Velicaria-Garafil said fares will remain the same until they have decided on a fare hike.
Meanwhile, bus operators can already apply for a special permit starting Friday and will be issued until the LTFRB comes up with a final route rationalization study. Application fees for the permit stand at P260 for the first two units, while an additional P70 will be charged for every succeeding unit.
“Special permit palang kasi gusto natin ma-beat yung opening ng classes for Monday kasi kung isi-CPC (Certificate of Public Convenience) natin sila, it will take time for the application to get processed,” Velicaria-Garafi told members of the media on Wednesday.
(We will only issue special permits for now because we want to beat the re-opening of classes on Monday because if we ask them to apply for a CPC, it will take time for the application to get processed.)
She said that the LTFRB will remain open over the weekend to attend to special permit applications so bus operators can already ply the reopened routes on Monday. — with reports from Franco Luna
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