How To Commute To POEA Or Philippine Overseas Employment Administration

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, most commonly known as POEA, is situated at the corner of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila. You can get to it from any far flung areas both inside and outside Metro Manila by a bus ride. All passenger buses that ply the route of north to south of Metro Manila and vice versa pass by POEA. The only thing to remember is the "Ortigas Ilalim" wording that must be present at the sign of the bus you're going to ride, regardless of where you'll be coming form - Alabang, Baclaran, FTI, Novaliches, Fairview, Monumento or Malanday. The nearest train station walking distance to POEA is MRT-3 Ortigas Station.

FROM MRT-3 TAFT AVENUE STATION

If you're riding an MRT train that comes from Taft Station, alight at Ortigas Station, then after passing through the turnstile (exit machine where you insert your card), you must turn left to go down the stairway that lead to pedestrian footbridge which is located beneath Ortigas Station yet above the busy highway of EDSA. Use this footbridge to go to the opposite side of EDSA. If you turn right after you pass through the turnstile, you will not be able to cross EDSA as the stairway leads directly to the ground going to SM Mega Mall.

Once you reach the opposite side of EDSA also known as the south bound lane, go down and walk northward to get to Ortigas Avenue where POEA is situated. If you don't know your north, just walk opposite the direction of the vehicles passing through EDSA.

FROM MRT-3 NORTH AVENUE STATION

If you ride a train that comes from North Station of MRT-3, get off the train at Ortigas Station, go down and walk back northward to get to Ortigas Avenue where POEA is located. This is because the train has already past Ortigas Avenue before it stop at Ortigas Station.

MRT-3 Ortigas Station is not exactly located at the corner of Ortigas Avenue. You need to walk an approximately 580 meters or .58 kilometer from the foot of Ortigas Station up to the building of POEA. See map at the bottom of this post.

I think, it's just a short walk and a good exercise for our body. Considering the perennial traffic along EDSA, the fast travel MRT gives outweigh the convenience of getting to the exact location of POEA by bus, which is by the way takes longer time to get to a destination. The long duration of time buses spend in bus bays and loading areas extends the time to your travel even more.

But if you're coming from a far location like Alabang or Monumento and you want to economize, bus ride is practical. Going to POEA from those locations by bus takes only one ride. Just make sure you put time allowance on your travel to be on time.

Here are the detailed directions and routes from different parts of Metro Manila as well as nearby provinces to POEA: (Note: All directions here are the same routes to take if you're coming to Robinson's Galleria, Holiday Inn, EDSA Shrine, Eton Cyberpod Corinthian and Ortigas Center CBD. Watch out for my post on how to get to individual buildings situated inside the Central Business District of Ortigas Center)

Route #1

From Alabang, Muntinlupa, Metropolis Star Mall, Filinvest City, Festival Mall, Pacita, Muntinlupa, provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Quezon and areas located near to these locations.

If you're far from Alabang, just go to the bus bay or loading area located near Sogo Alabang which is adjacent to Metropolis Starmall. From far places mentioned above, ride a bus or jeep bound for Alabang.

In Alabang ride a bus with any of these signs: "Monumento Ortigas Ilalim", "Fairview Ortigas Ilalim", "Novaliches Ortigas Ilalim", "Malanday Ortigas Ilalim" etc. Dont take bus with "Ortigas Ibabaw" on its sign. Ask the conductor to drop you off at Ortigas or POEA. A lot of passengers will alight at Ortigas Avenue. Some buses also have "POEA" on their signs.

After you get off the bus at Ortigas, use the footbridge to get to the opposite corner of EDSA-Ortigas where POEA is located.

If you want to use MRT, then alight at Magallanes Station of MRT-3, ride a North bound train and alight at Ortigas Station.

Route #2

From Caloocan, Monumento, Malanday, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Ever Gotesco Grand Central and nearby areas.

Ride a bus with any of these signs: "Alabang Ortigas Ilalim", "Baclaran Ortigas Ilalim", "Sucat Ortigas Ilalim", "Ayala Leveriza Ortigas Ilalim", etc. Some buses add "POEA" wording on the signs. If there's no buses going to these destinations at your location, ride a jeepney bound for Monumento and ride right there. You can also ride one of these buses at 5th Avenue corner Rizal Avenue in Caloocan.

When paying, tell the conductor your destination as "POEA". The bus will stop exactly at the bus bay few meters from POEA.

If you want to use the train, then get off the bus as it stops at MRT-3 North Avenue Station. Ride a train bound for Taft and get off at Ortigas Station.

Route #3

From Cavite, Tagaytay, Imus, Dasmarinas, Bacoor, Paranaque, Pasay, Baclaran and nearby areas.

From your location ride a bus or jeepney bound for Baclaran. In Baclaran, go to the bus bay or loading zone located near to the gate of Redemptorist Church. As in Route #1, ride a bus with any of these signs: "Monumento Ortigas Ilalim", "Fairview Ortigas Ilalim", "Novaliches Ortigas Ilalim", "Malanday Ortigas Ilalim" etc. Dont take bus with "Ortigas Ibabaw" on its sign. Ask the conductor to drop you off at Ortigas or POEA. A lot of passengers will alight at Ortigas Avenue. Some buses also have "POEA" on their signs.

If you're from any locations in Pasay, just ride a jeepney to EDSA, and wait for these buses at any loading area nearest to you.

From MOA, ride a jeepney bound for "Malibay" or "Sucat" and "Alabang". Alight at unloading area near to Heritage Hotel which is located at the corner of EDSA and Roxas Boulevard. Ride same bus and alight at Ortigas Ilalim.

From unloading area in Ortigas which is located in front of Robinson's Galleria, use the footbridge and go to the opposite corner of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue where POEA is located.

If you want to use the train, then alight at Taft if you have Stored Value ticket for MRT-3. If you don't have Stored Value ticket, get off the bus at Magallanes Station. Ride a train bound for North and alight at Ortigas Station.

Taft Station is always jam-packed. The lines are terrible. It takes almost forever just to buy a one way ticket even if you fall in line of "Exact Fare" window. So if you don't have Stored Value ticket, just ride the train at Magallanes where both passengers riding the train and buying tickets are few.

Route #4

From Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Ilocos and other provinces in Northern Luzon. You can ride a bus or FX with terminal located anywhere in EDSA e.g. JAC Liner, Lucena Bus, Tritran and Victory Liner. All of these buses has terminal located along EDSA, particularly in GMA Kamuning area and Cubao where there's also Baliwag Transit Terminal.

If you ride an FX with terminal located at SM North EDSA and Trinoma, just walk towards EDSA.

Along EDSA, go to the nearest bus bay or loading area and ride a bus with any of these signs: "Alabang Ortigas Ilalim", "Baclaran Ortigas Ilalim", "Sucat Ortigas Ilalim", "Ayala Leveriza Ortigas Ilalim", etc. Some buses add "POEA" wording on the signs.

When paying, tell the conductor your destination as "POEA". The bus will stop exactly at the bus bay or unloading area few meters from POEA.

If you want to ride the train instead, go to the nearest MRT-3 station (e.g. North Station, Quezon Avenue Station, GMA-Kamuning Station, Cubao Station, etc), ride a train bound for Taft and alight at Ortigas Station.

Route #5

From Quiapo, Recto, Legarda, Pureza, SM Centerpoint, V. Mapa and other areas near to these locations.

Ride a colored green air conditioned G-Liner bus with "Taytay" sign. When paying, tell the conductor to drop you off at POEA. The conductor will announce the arrival to POEA by loudly saying "EDSA", "POEA", "Robinson's" and "Galleria".

Route #6

From Ermita, Malate, Robinson's Place Manila, Mabini, M.H. Del Pilar, Pedro Gil and other areas near to these locations.

Option #1. Ride a jeepney bound for Quiapo and in Quiapo near the only pedestrian overpass, ride a colored green air conditioned G-Liner bus with "Taytay" signs. When paying, tell the conductor to drop you off at POEA. The conductor will announce the arrival to POEA by loudly saying "EDSA", "POEA", "Robinson's" and "Galleria".

Option #2. Walk or ride a jeepney to LRT-1 which is in Taft Avenue. Ride a "Baclaran" bound train at any LRT-1 station (e.g. Central Terminal if you're from Intramuros, Manila City Hall or SM City Manila; U.N. Aveneu Station; Pedro Gil Station, Quirino Statio; Vito Cruz Station). Alight at EDSA Station. Use the footbridge that connects LRT-1 to MRT-3. Ride an MRT-3 train bound for North Avenue. Alight at Ortigas Station.

Route #7

From Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Market Market, Guadalupe, Makati, J.P. Rizal, Delpan, Chino Roces aka Pasong Tamo and other areas near to these locations.

If you're in Delpan or J.P. Rizal, ride a jeepney with "Guadalupe Ilalim" sign. If you're from Fort Bonifacio or Global city and Taguig etc, ride a jeepney with "Guadalupe" sign. From Chino Roces, ride a jeep with "Mantrade" sign.

These jeepneys' last stop is in EDSA where you can ride a bus with any of these signs: "Monumento Ortigas Ilalim", "Fairview Ortigas Ilalim", "Novaliches Ortigas Ilalim", "Malanday Ortigas Ilalim" etc. Dont take bus with "Ortigas Ibabaw" on its sign. Ask the conductor to drop you off at Ortigas or POEA. A lot of passengers will alight at Ortigas Avenue. Some buses also have "POEA" on their signs.

After you get off the bus at Ortigas, use the footbridge to get to the opposite corner of EDSA-Ortigas where POEA is located.

If you want to ride a train, then just go up the Guadalupe Station or Magallanes Station, ride a train bound for North Avenue Station and alight at Ortigas Station.

Route #8

From Pasig Palengke, EDSA-Shaw Crossing, EDSA Central, Kalentong, Boni Mandaluyong, Pioneer and other areas near to these locations. If you're from Pasig Palengke, ride a jeepney bound for Quiapo. Alight at EDSA. If you're from Kalentong, ride a jeepney bound for Pasig and alight at EDSA. From Boni, ride a jeepney going to EDSA.

In EDSA, ride a bus with any of these signs: "Monumento Ortigas Ilalim", "Fairview Ortigas Ilalim", "Novaliches Ortigas Ilalim", "Malanday Ortigas Ilalim" etc. Dont take bus with "Ortigas Ibabaw" on its sign. Ask the conductor to drop you off at Ortigas or POEA. A lot of passengers will alight at Ortigas Avenue. Some buses also have "POEA" on their signs.

After you get off the bus at Ortigas, use the footbridge to get to the opposite corner of EDSA-Ortigas where POEA is located.

Route #9

From Marikina, Sta Lucia East, Robinson's Metro East, Santolan Pasig, Katipunan, Anonas, Project 4, Cubao and other areas near to these locations.

First, you need to go to Cubao. You can go to the nearest LRT-2 Station (e.g. Santolan Station, Katipunan Station, Anonas Station) and ride a train bound for Recto Station and alight at Araneta Center Cubao Station. Or you can ride a bus or jeepney bound for Cubao or Recto and alight at Araneta Center Cubao.

Second, you can either ride a train bound for Taft at MRT-3 Araneta Center Cubao Station and alight at Ortigas Station, or ride a bus with "Ortigas Ilalim" on its sign and get off the bus at Ortigas corner EDSA where POEA is just a few meters away. If you use the train, you need to walk around 580 meters or more than half a kilometer to POEA. Traveling by train as I've already said is faster than bus even if the bus stop right in front of POEA. The main sign of the bus you're going to ride must be any of these: "Alabang Ortigas Ilalim", "Baclaran Ortigas Ilalim", "Sucat Ortigas Ilalim", "Ayala Leveriza Ortigas Ilalim"

Route #10

From Taytay, Antipolo Simbahan, Ynarez Gym, Ever Gotesco Ortigas and other areas near to these locations. This route is via Ortigas Avenue.

Ride any bus bound for Quiapo. These buses include the ones belong to G-Liner, the colored green air-conditioned new buses that ply the route of Quiapo-Taytay and vice versa. Ask the conductor to drop you off at POEA. You need to go to the opposite corner of EDSA-Ortigas via the footbridge to get to the exact location of POEA.

Location Map of POEA and MRT-3 Ortigas Station