MMDA Inspects PITX Ahead of Holy Week Rush — Confiscated Items Include Box Cutters, Butane Canisters, and Knives

With Holy Week just around the corner, the MMDA is ramping up security at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) — Metro Manila's biggest bus terminal and the launching point for millions of provincial travelers. General Manager Nicolas Torre III personally led the security audit on Friday.

Torre inspected key facilities including the capsule hotel, the LRT-PITX station, provincial buses and their drivers, and the terminal's command center. He came away impressed, comparing PITX's security infrastructure to what you'd find in an airport. That's high praise for a bus terminal.

During the inspection, PITX security personnel showed off their collection of confiscated prohibited items from passengers — box cutters, scissors, knives, flammable butane canisters, and other hazardous materials. It's a reminder that even land terminals need airport-level screening, especially during peak travel seasons.

The inspection was done in coordination with the Department of Transportation. Holy Week is traditionally the busiest travel period in the Philippines, with millions of Filipinos heading to their home provinces for the long weekend. PITX, which handles buses going south to Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, and beyond, will be ground zero for the exodus.

For commuters planning their Holy Week escape: expect long lines, tight security, and heavy crowds. Pero at least you can rest easy knowing the MMDA is making sure your seatmate didn't smuggle a butane canister onto the bus. Travel safe, mga kababayan.

Source: The Manila Times