Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange to start operations by 2028

MANILA, Philippines – Another modern transport hub is set to service commuters from the south of Metro Manila and nearby provinces by 2028.

On Monday, February 3, representatives from the government and Ayala Land Incorporated (ALI) finally broke ground for the P5.2-billion Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange (TCITX) project.

“With the capacity to serve 160,000 passengers and operate 5,200 vehicles daily, this project led by Arca South Integrated Terminals, Inc. of Ayala Land will be instrumental in decongesting major thoroughfares and offering a smoother journey for the riding public,” Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said during the groundbreaking ceremony.

This comes a decade after the property giant bagged the 35-year concession agreement in 2015.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the construction of the project was delayed due to right-of-way acquisition issues. They are now expecting the project to be completed by 2027.

BUS OPTIONS. Once operational, commuters may take provincial and city buses from the Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange.

The 5.57-hectare terminal will be connected to the future North-South Commuter Railway and the Metro Manila Subway Project.

Once operational, commuters may take provincial and city buses from the TCITX. The terminal will also house a Jeepney AUV terminal.

It is the second of the three terminals of Metro Manila’s integrated transportation system project. The Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange opened in 2015 and in November 2024, it was connected to one of the railway systems following the launch of the first phase of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension.

Bautista said they aim to finish the feasibility study for the terminal in the north of Metro Manila “within the next few months.”

“We’re still looking for a suitable site. If possible, it should also be connected to our railway systems, either to the North-South Commuter Railway or to the Metro Manila Subway,” Bautista told reporters.

“It will be similar, as big as this,” he added.

FUTURE TAGUIG TERMINAL. This render from Ayala Land shows the planned Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange.

The TCITX is located along East Service Road in the Arca South Estate, an ALI development. Ayala Land president and chief executive officer Anna Ma. Margarita Dy touted the estate as the “gateway to the south.”

In December, the property giant will open the first phase of Ayala Malls Arca South.

Once the whole project is completed, commuters will have the option to stop and shop at the mall, which Ayala Land said will include “the country’s first dedicated coffee zone.”

Bicutan to Batasan in under 30 minutes?

Authorities also signed on Monday the right-of-way usage agreement for the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME) or the Skyway Stage 4 project, which is seen to make travel faster for motorists heading north from the south of the metro.

In November 2023, Ayala Land and San Miguel Corporation inked an integration agreement for the Arca South on and off ramps to be connected to the Skyway Stage 4 project.

Through this, the 32.7-kilometer tollroad will be linked to the TCITX project.

AERIAL SHOT. A render of the proposed Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange from above.

“We will start construction on SEMME right away as soon as we have all our rights of way,” San Miguel Foundation chairman Cecile Ang said.

SEMME will pass through Parañaque, Taguig, Rizal (Taytay and Antipolo), Marikina City, and Quezon City. Officials estimate that around 42,477 to 88,338 motorists will ply through the expressway daily.

“It is expected that the travel time from Bicutan to [the] Batasan Complex will be reduced from 1 hour and 50 minutes to only 26 minutes,” DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Jesus Ferdinand Ortega said. – Rappler.com