PITX Officially Starts Operations Today

Although the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) was opened and inaugurated on November 5 by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte, the country's first integrated and multi-modal terminal officially began its operations today, November 10, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

According to the agency, starting at 4 AM, all Public Utility Bus (PUB) routes not covered by Department Order (DO) No. 2018-025--including Batangas (Nasugbu, Calatagan & Balayan) and long-haul Cavite routes--shall terminate at PITX. City buses with routes operating within the Greater Metro Manila Area are likewise required to pass by PITX to pick up passengers.

Meanwhile, PUBs covered by the DO will still be able to enter and use the PITX but their routes will not terminate there, as they will be reclassified as city buses.

Under the DO, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is directed to convert the franchises of these PUBs into city operations. PUBs will no longer be required to terminate their routes at their designated Intermodal Terminal Exchange (ITX).

"Ang tanging pinapaboran natin sa panukalang ito ay ang mga commuters (This scheme favors the commuters)," OIC Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark De Leon said. "'Yung mga ruta na covered ng DO, ‘yun ang mga commuter routes functioning within the Greater Metro Manila Area. 'Yung mga commuters mula sa area na ito ay yong mga araw-araw na nagko-commute papasok at palabas ng Metro Manila. Pinapayagan natin ang piling mga ruta na hindi mag-terminate sa mga ITX terminal upang maging dire-diretso at mas mabilis ang biyahe ng ating mga commuters. Hindi lang para sa PITX ang DO na ito. Covered din nito ang mga rutang nasasakupan ng North and South ITX (The routes covered by the DO are the commuter routes unctioning within the Greater Metro Manila Area. The commuters from this area are those who commute everyday going into and out of Metro Manila. We are allowing select routes that don't terminate at ITX terminals so that the trip of these commuters are faster and more direct. The DO is not only for PITX. It also covers the routes of the North and South ITX)."

A Memorandum Circular aligned with DO No. 2018-025 shall be released by the LTFRB next week. Further, an initial schedule of bus trips has been submitted to the LTFRB for review.

The DOTr, LTFRB, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and MWM Terminals Inc. are working closely to ensure that the country's first landport will serve its purpose effectively and efficiently.