Four government agencies are working together to construct a massivea transportation hub in Quezon City, surpassing the size of the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).
The called Project HUB will rise on a three-hectare Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) lot along Elliptical Circle at the corner of Commonwealth Ave.
GSIS said in a statement the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the local government of Quezon City agreed to build the project.
Project HUB, the working title for the mega infrastructure project, is expected to augment several major transport lines already plying through the area.
The quadripartite action is in direct response to a presidential directive for the development of an intermodal rail-city bus terminal and depot in the city.
By 2027, the hub will greatly enhance access to the neighboring Philcoa Station of the MRT-7 when it begins operating from the North Triangle Common Station in North Edsa to San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan.
The DOTr with the help of the World Bank will plan, finance and implement the intermodal transport hub, while the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) committed to a full-blown feasibility study covering both traffic management and basic engineering design.
The Quezon City government, as host city to the project, will ease and facilitate the expected permits and other requirements for smooth implementation of the project.
“Our property in Quezon City is centrally located and accessible, positioned in a location that maximizes connectivity with the city and surrounding regions. The end view of the Project Hub is a world-class intermodal transport hub that is a well-organized, modern facility that streamlines the bus travel experience, focusing on efficiency, passenger comfort, and seamless connectivity with other transport modes including the MRT-7,” said GSIS president and general manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso.
“The GSIS unwavering focus is to serve our members and pensioners, ensuring that their needs are met with integrity and excellence, with the best customer experience. Through the Board of Trustees approval and guidance, the GSIS will continue to support the Project Hub which has a pivotal role to serve them better. As long as there is provision of their needs, we will affirm our commitment to advancing this sustainable initiative,” Veloso said.
While the DOTr undertakes studies and preparatory designs are being done, the GSIS, MMDA and the Quezon City government will already jump start the project timeline by providing additional parking on the GSIS property for the benefit of the general public.
The plan is to prepare some 300 temporary parking slots on the site while waiting for the permanent development to get underway.
