QC’s Joy Belmonte orders bus terminal along EDSA-North closed for using ‘fake’ permits

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Wednesday ordered the closure of a bus terminal along EDSA-North for allegedly using fake permits.

According to a report by Mark Makalalad on Dobol B sa News TV, Baliwag Transit violated the city’s Revenue Code by using the documents of its terminal near E. Rodriguez Avenue for the EDSA-North terminal.

JUST IN: Baliwag bus terminal sa EDSA-North, ipinasara ni Mayor Joy Belmonte dahil sa pekeng permit I @dzbb pic.twitter.com/pxwQYFvQaY

— Mark Makalalad (@MMakalalad) November 6, 2019

The lot in EDSA-North should only be a bus depot but was operating as a terminal.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia cited complaints that taxis and motorcycles on standby around the terminal were causing traffic in the area.

Gilbert Robles, officer-in-charge of Baliwag Transit-Cubao Terminal, said the depot has not been converted into a terminal but was only being used as temporary unloading area earlier this year for the convenience of passengers.

“Hindi po terminal, ginagawa lang po naming babaan tapos umaalis na rin po ‘yung bus kasi nga po tinanggal nila ‘yung babaan doon sa may kanto, sa may West Avenue, ‘yung dating babaan namin,” Robles told GMA News Online.

“Siyempre po ‘yung mga pasahero, ‘yung mga karaingan nila ginagawan lang ho namin ng paraan para hindi naman ho sila masyadong malayo ... lalo na po ‘yung may mga dala-dalahan, mga may edad, nahihirapan po, ‘yung mga may bata,” he added.

Since April, the MMDA reinforced the no loading, unloading policy along EDSA for provincial buses.

Robles said Baliwag’s staff has consistently advised other public utility vehicles to avoid staying near the unloading area along EDSA-North.

“Araw-araw po naming ipinagbabawal ‘yan para magtambay dito, ‘yung mga guard namin halos mapaaway na sa kanila pero matitigas ang ulo,” he added.

The authorities have ordered Baliwag Transit to apply for another special use permit (SUP) so that the company may resume operations in the area.

Baliwag buses will unload passengers at its terminal in Cubao, Robles noted.

Belmonte warned that other bus terminals in Quezon City be inspected by local government authorities. —VDS, GMA News