MANILA -- The first day of operations of the Metro Manila Southwest Interim Transport Terminal in Paranaque City's Southwest Coastal Mall was not smooth-sailing as passengers complained they got confused by the new transportation scheme. The chief complaint by the passengers is that they have to disembark at the integrated bus terminal and then transfer to another vehicle just to get to their destination within Metro Manila. Some passengers said they are not yet familiar with the route being taken by the buses, and that transferring from a bus to another means of transportation is time-consuming. Those who wish to take EDSA will have to transfer to city buses outside the Coastal Mall, while those who are Manila-bound may take an AUV Express. The Southwest ITT serves as the hub for buses coming from Batangas and Cavite. The terminal aims to reduce the number of buses entering Metro Manila. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, who has been tasked to oversee the operations of the Southwest ITT, appealed to passengers to make adjustments as the government tries to find ways to ease Metro Manila's traffic problems. He said the Southwest ITT will prevent the entry of close to 1,000 buses to Metro Manila. Aside from the Southwest ITT, President Benigno Aquino III also ordered the establishment of the North Interim Transport Terminal and South Interim Transport Terminal. The North ITT is meant for provincial buses and AUVs originating from provinces north of Metro Manila and entering via the North Luzon Expressway, MacArthur Highway, Mindanao Avenue, Quirino Avenue, and Commonwealth Avenue. The South ITT, on the other hand, is meant for provincial buses and AUVs originating from provinces south of Metro Manila and entering via the South Luzon Expressway. The establishment of ITTs are in preparation for the full implementation of the integrated transport systems (ITS project) by 2016. – with a report from Atom Araullo, ABS-CBN News
