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'No reason for EDSA bus carousel fares to be higher than MRT fare'

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Warren de Guzman, ABS-CBN News

The Management Association of the Philippines believes there is no reason for a privatized EDSA Bus Carousel to charge higher than MRT fares. At least 30 organizations, including the MAP, are lobbying for the privatization of the EDSA Bus Carousel installed during the COVID-19 pandemic. MAP’s Eduardo Yap said government should also consider bidding out the transport infrastructure through a fully integrated concession.The EDSA Bus Carousel currently services an estimated 350,000 passengers everyday. It is currently free for passengers, but it is costing the government P74 to P79 million a week, based on estimates by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. At least 30 organizations are pushing for the privatization of the operation. Eduardo Yap, chairperson for Transportation and Infrastructure at the Management Association of the Philippines, says the matter is urgent because commuters currently using the bus system experience overcrowding and long lines every day. Yap said they recommended a standard bus fare based on the existing train fare.&quot;We recommended the train fares, the average of all the existing train fares, be used as the benchmark. The proponents should bid relative to the benchmark,&quot; Yap said. He said &quot;there is no reason for busway fares to be more expensive than train fares,&quot; because these cost much less than elevated trains and runs on existing right of way at ground level. Currently fares on the MRT and LRT can range between P11 and P30 depending on the kind of ticket (stored value or single journey) and the destination.Yap estimates the cost for the PPP may range between P5 billion to P10 billion, depending on the PPP structure, and what kinds of upgrades the government wants in terms of terminals and buses. Overall, he expects it to be the cheapest mass transit system in Metro Manila, by far, especially if the winning bidder is able to raise daily capacity to 1 million passengers per day.Yap is also expecting a competitive bidding for what he is hoping will be a fully integrated concession including all of the bus stations as well as the bus operations. He says bus operators currently servicing the EDSA bus carousel may even join together to bid.

The Management Association of the Philippines believes there is no reason for a privatized EDSA Bus Carousel to charge higher than MRT fares. 

'No reason for EDSA bus carousel fares to be higher than MRT fare'

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'No reason for EDSA bus carousel fares to be higher than MRT fare'

Warren de Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 12, 2022 11:45 AM PHT

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