LTFRB opens 9 new bus routes

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has opened nine new public utility bus (PUB) routes to serve the increasing passenger demand in Metro Manila.

The bus routes will serve the Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study Update and Capacity Enhancement Program (MUCEP) area.

The LTFRB said that its Franchise Planning and Monitoring Division “determined the need for additional public land transportation services due to the increasing passenger demand in the MUCEP area” following monitoring and ground validation.

The LTFRB set the guidelines for the opening of new routes in its Memorandum Circular 2022-083, which took effect on Dec. 26.

Under the guidelines, the new routes shall be opened to all interested applicants who have consolidated operations and have brand new units or have units that are compliant with the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines.

The deadline for the submission documents was set 10 days from the effectivity of the issuance.

The newly opened city bus routes are: Antipolo-Mckinley Hill via FVR Road, C-5; Antipolo-McKinley Hill via C-6; McKinley Hill-Southwoods Mall Transport Terminal; Ayala-Southwoods Mall Transport Terminal; Alabang-Naic via Governor’s Drive and Cubao-Dasmariñas via Governor’s Drive.

The new point-to-point bus service routes are: Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Alabang, NAIA -Cubao and NAIA-Ortigas central business district.