“After its completion, 1,000 buses will be reduced on EDSA and Roxas Boulevard. It means 200,000 individuals will benefit from it daily,” Orbos said, adding that SWITEx can accommodate commuters coming from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon province, and shall serve as a hub not only for buses but also taxis, vans and jeepneys.
Orbos noted that commuters from Southern Luzon who used the now-ceased Southwest Interim Provincial Terminal (SWIPT) in Pasay City will notice the big difference. At present, provincial buses coming from the south are using the new SWIPT at HK Sun Plaza along Roxas Boulevard, in a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) property.
“The Southwest Integrated Terminal Exchange will be a huge improvement from the terminal we see along EDSA. Again, it will resemble an airport with multi-level platforms,” MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim said, who was appointed by President Duterte last May. He also assured that the terminal will be convenient for drivers and passengers.
The SWITEx is being developed and will be operated and maintained by Megawide Construction Corp. (MCC) under a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement signed in January 2015, during the past administration. Construction started in October last year and as of October this year, this P2.5B-facility is nearly 40-percent completed.
Last Wednesday, November 22, Orbos inspected the ongoing construction of the 4-hectare facility. He emphasized that once the Light Rail Transit-1 Extension is completed in 2021, its Asia World station will also be connected to SWITEx. In addition, the current government is also planning to construct another intermodal terminal in Sta. Rosa Laguna.
Contributed by Renato Pasayao
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