The operations of a transport hub in Megaworld’s Iloilo Business Park (IBP) in Mandurriao district, Iloilo City is legal, according to the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s (SP) committee on transportation, energy, and public utilities.

Councilor Rommel Duron, chairman of the committee, said Regulation Ordinance No. 2019-110 authorized Megaworld to “construct, establish, operate and maintain” its own transport hub.

“This ordinance has binding effect, general application and presumed valid, unless and until there is contrary pronouncement from the proper authorities as to its invalidity or what it is repealed or amended by subsequent legislation by Sanggunian concerned,” part of Duron’s committee report read.

Duron held a committee hearing on July 31. It was attended by several transport groups and representatives from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Megaworld.

According to Duron, the City Legal Office (CLO) also sees no violation of any existing ordinance or law when Megaworld built, and started the operations of its tranport hub.

The Megaworld Transport Hub caters to, among others, point-to-point (P2P) buses going to and from the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan town, Caticlan Airport, and Kalibo Airport.

The New Iloilo Airport Transport Association and Association (NIATA) and the Association of Taxi Operators in Panay (ATOP) questioned the operations of the P2P buses.

The LTFRB granted Southwest Travel and Tours the provisional authority granted to operate the three routes.

NIATA and ATOP claimed that the P2P buses are not among the vehicles allowed to use the transport hub.

Section 2 of the ordinance states: “The transport hub ashall be used exclusively for and limited only to UV Express, Tourist and Chartered Vans and Bus and Shuttle Buses.”

“On this note, it is the interpretation of this office that the term ‘buses’ must necessarily include P2P buses. The definition of the term used by law remains the same although the latter has its own specific point of embarkation and point of destination that is the Iloilo International Airport to Megaworld Transport Hub and vice versa. To contend that the term buses do not include P2P buses is not only ridiculous but would even unduly limit the clear language or term used in the same ordinance,” Duron said in his committee report.IMT