PITX puts commuters at the center of commercial development and urban resilience
Before a shop can serve its customers or an office can begin its workday, people must be able to get there.
That everyday need carries significant implications for property development. Transport connections help determine whether businesses can operate reliably, employees can reach work, and communities can access essential services.
At the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), it is the starting point of development.
“The prime mover really is the transportation hub,” said Atty. Jaime Raphael Feliciano, president of MWM Terminals Inc. and chief business development officer of Megawide Group, in an exclusive interview with PhilSTAR Property.
This approach echoed discussions at the PITX Media Forum 2026, “Mobility as Resilience: Keeping People, Businesses, and Cities Moving,” which PhilSTAR Property attended. Government, transport, research, and business representatives examined how mobility supports economic activity through everyday demands and disruptions.
Accessibility shapes value
Jason Salvador, director for Corporate Affairs and Government Relations of MWM Terminals Inc., emphasized that disrupted transportation affects productivity, investments, and property accessibility.
“The future of real estate is increasingly intertwined with the future of transportation—where people can move efficiently and communities can thrive,” Salvador said.
For employers, those connections influence location decisions. Edward Gador, associate director for Commercial Leasing at Leechiu Property Consultants, said companies consider nearby transport hubs and routes linking workplaces to employees’ homes.
“Accessibility and getting to work is definitely a key factor in deciding where these companies go,” Gador said.
Ian Madrid, chief executive officer of S.P. Madrid Corporation, a BPO tenant of THE OFFIX at PITX, connected reliable commuting to business continuity, particularly where data security requirements limit work-from-home options.
Global Robot Coffee managing director CJ Jesena highlighted the immediate consequences for retailers: inaccessible stores lose customers, while workers may lose income when they cannot report for duty.
Building around the passenger
Feliciano explained that some property companies develop commercial projects first, then provide transportation facilities for customers. PITX began with the hub and gradually built commercial activity around passenger demand.
The model requires coordination with regulators and understanding where commuters come from and where they need to go. Making those journeys easier attracts passengers, creating a customer base for businesses.
“Because of that, we’re now in a position to build that commercial ecosystem that I mentioned,” he said.
Feliciano recalled that PITX initially handled fewer than 10,000 passengers daily—insufficient, he said, to sustain shops and restaurants throughout such a large facility. At the time of the interview, daily volume had reached around 185,000.
Better connections also return time to commuters. During the forum, Feliciano reported that PITX’s evening passenger peak shifted from around 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. following its LRT-1 connection.
“That means that they have an extra hour for their family, for rest, for leisure. And imagine that compounding every single day,” he said.
Connections that withstand disruption
MWM Terminals chief operating officer Mohit Malhi emphasized fewer transfers, while DOTr Director IV Joanna May Macaranas discussed stronger connections across transport modes.
UP National Center for Transportation Studies data management specialist EnP. Geoel Anthony Esguerra highlighted data and modeling to anticipate vulnerabilities. Pasig City DRRMO chief Bryant Wong stressed information-sharing and alternative routes, while Ceres Transport administrative manager Marie Ann Santerva discussed backup buses and passenger assistance.
For growing regional cities, Feliciano sees government participation as essential.
“If we see the value of transportation hubs, I think the public sector should drive their development regionally,” he said.
Local governments can identify suitable land and help consolidate operators within a common facility. Subsidies, land contributions and revenue-sharing arrangements can support projects requiring time to establish demand.
“Usually, you don’t make money the first couple of years, so you have to be patient with your money,” Feliciano said.
He cited hub projects in Baguio and Carmona, Cavite, both in the design stage at the interview.
The development lesson begins with people’s daily journeys: meet their transportation needs and create the conditions for businesses and communities to grow around them.
The article was originally published in PhilStar Property and written by Pamela Imperial.
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