Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), operator of the Robinsons Malls chain, in partnership with HM Transport, Inc., is launching on August 30 the second phase of its P2P (point-to-point) bus service from Fairview to Makati and vice versa. While the P2P service, which will originate from Robinsons Novaliches located at Brgy. Pasong Putik, Quirino Highway corner Maligaya, Novaliches, Quezon City, is seen to boost foot traffic in the mall; RLC director for public relations Roseann Villegas said it is more a part of the company's goal to provide additional service to its customers and the communities that host its malls. “It is the same principle that guides the Lingkod Pinoy Centers, which makes various government agencies more accessible to people by locating satellite offices in Robinsons Malls,” she noted. Villegas said they have scheduled the launch of the new P2P service end of the month in anticipation of the increased demand for faster, safer and more convenient transport as the Philippines' Christmas season begins in September. “People who have to make the daily commute between Fairview in Quezon City and Makati can now look forward to a quicker, more convenient, comfortable and pleasant ride,” she said adding that, “even persons with disability (PWD), including the wheel-chair bound, and the elderly will find the new transport service suitable to their needs.” For a P120 one-way fare, the P2P route will convey passengers straight to either destination - with no stops in-between - on air-conditioned buses equipped with CCTV, WIFI, GPS, LED television sets and reclining seats. People who have trouble with regular commuter buses - like the PWD and the elderly- will also find it easier to get on and off because the P2P vehicles are specially outfitted with ramps which can be lowered to the level of the sidewalk. They can walk straight or wheel themselves in to the bus without climbing stairs. Space is reserved for one wheel-chair bound passenger beside the PWD access, located in the middle of the bus. Car owners who want to avail of the P2P service can park their vehicles at Robinsons Novaliches mall for free. By using the P2P, Villegas says car owners could halve their daily commuting expense. Instead of paying P180, the average parking rate for eight hours a day in Makati, and using P300 worth of fuel for the round-trip from Fairview, they will only be spending P240 for daily bus fare. For those taking public transportation, Robinsons Novaliches has an MMDA Terminal where they can ride tricycles, jeeps and FX that that are stationed here. Routes covered are nearby subdivisions and barangays and as far as Caloocan, Bayan Novaliches and Bulacan. The Fairview-Makati CBD P2P service will leave at 5:30 a.m. every weekday - from Robinsons Novaliches (except on holidays-) and is estimated to arrive in Park Square, Makati an hour and a half to two hours later, depending on the traffic situation on EDSA. The first bus from Makati going to Fairview will leave at 7:30 a.m. The last bus from Fairview will leave at 8:30 p.m. while the last bus from Makati will leave at 11 p.m. Commuters will have the added convenience of knowing exactly when they should be at the terminal as buses will leave as scheduled at intervals of 30 minutes. This is the second RLC-HM P2P service with the first covering the Ortigas CBD–Makati CBD route, starting from Robinsons Land’s flagship mall, Robinsons Galleria, on EDSA. RLC chose the Fairview-Makati CBD route for the second P2P service because it has a very high number of commuters, according to traffic authorities. Villegas says the service targets primarily families, call center agents, senior citizens and PWDs, professionals and white collar workers and students. Seniors, PWD and students get the 20 percent discount mandated by law and will have to pay only P96 each way. The franchise for the RLC-HM joint venture allows the eventual expansion of the P2P fleet of buses to 52 for the two routes—Ortigas CBD –Makati CBD and Fairview-Makati CBD. ###