MANILA, Philippines – While organizers encouraged taking point-to-point (P2P) buses to the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2019 opening ceremony, only 110 buses will be provided for an expected 22,000 spectators that will be flocking to the Philippine Arena on November 30.

This means around 16,500 spectators will have no dedicated transportation going to and from the opening ceremony venue. 

The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) earlier urged spectators to take designated P2P buses instead of bringing their cars. PHISGOC chief operating officer Ramon “Tats” Suzara even said that there will be sufficient buses for the spectators.

However, according to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) spokesperson Celine Pialago, the PHISGOC will only be providing 10 P2P buses from different pick-up points, namely SM MOA Arena, Ayala Cloverleaf, Trinoma, and SM City Clark. 

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, on the other hand, issued special permits to 100 buses that will be transporting spectators from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) and from Trinoma.

On November 26, the PHISGOC buses were timed coming from their respective pick-up points to the Philippine Arena. One bus coming from the SM MOA Arena left at 1:40 pm and arrived at the venue on 3:16 pm. 

Spectators may present their tickets to ride the PHISGOC P2P buses for free. The LTFRB buses, however, will charge a fee of P100 from Trinoma and P150 from PITX. 

Pialago added that spectators going back to the pick-up points after the opening ceremony will be served on a first come, first serve basis. This means that those who took P2P buses going to the venue are not ensured of a ride going back home. 

The stop-and-go scheme will not be applied for the spectators’ buses, nor will they have motor escorts.

These buses are expected to arrive at the Philippine Arena at 4:00 pm, when the gates will be opened. Pialago said that spectators must arrive at the pickup points around lunchtime so that the buses can leave around 1:00pm. – Rappler.com