Draft:Tas Group of Companies

Tas Group of Companies

Company type	Public
Industry	Conglomerate
Area served	Philippines
Key people	Ashley A. Santiaguel[1] John Benedict Santiaguel[2]

Tas Group of Companies is a Philippine-based transport conglomerate engaged primarily in provincial and city bus operations in Luzon. The group comprises several affiliated bus companies, including Erjohn & Almark Transit Corp., TAS Trans Corp., San Agustin Transport Service Corp., and Saint Anthony of Padua Transport Systems, Inc., among others.^[2] Collectively, its member companies operate point-to-point (P2P), provincial, and city routes serving Metro Manila and nearby provinces such as Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas.^[3] The group is involved in public transport modernization initiatives and partnerships with integrated transport terminals and electronic fare payment systems.^[4]

Tas Group of Companies comprises several affiliated bus companies, including Erjohn & Almark Transit Corp., TAS Trans Corp., San Agustin Transport Service Corp., and Saint Anthony of Padua Transport Systems, Inc., among others.^[2]

History

In September 2013, two bus companies under the Tas Group of Companies were among the operators that filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Manila and its top officials, including then-Mayor Joseph Estrada. The petition sought to block a citywide bus ban (Resolution No. 48) that prohibited provincial buses without terminals in Manila from entering the city. The operators argued that the ban violated national laws and was implemented without due process.^[5]

In August 2017, TAS Trans partnered with AF Payments Inc., the operator of the Beep card system under the consortium of Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, to enable cashless payments on its point-to-point (P2P) buses serving Nuvali in Santa Rosa, Laguna to Makati City.^[6][4] The company also introduced a promotional fare in line with the launch of the new payment system.

In May 2020, during the implementation of the general community quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila due to the COVID-19 pandemic, point-to-point buses were among the limited modes of public transportation allowed to resume operations. TAS Trans was included in the list released by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for routes operating between Santa Rosa, Laguna (Nuvali) and Makati.^[7]

In 2021, the city government of Las Piñas deployed two TAS Trans buses to transport city hall employees to and from work. Mayor Imelda Aguilar stated that the buses supplemented the six electric jeepneys already serving city health workers.^[8]

In May 2025, TAS Trans and Erjohn & Almark Transit joined the "Drayberks: Ready 4 Safety" campaign, an initiative aimed at promoting road safety awareness among commercial drivers traveling along the CALAX and Cavitex networks.^[9] Following this, the company’s employees attended a road safety seminar entitled "Alerto Kada Kilometro".^[2]

References

1. "TAS Trans Corporation – Company Profile". Dun & Bradstreet. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
2. "MPT South brings 'Alerto Kada Kilometro' road safety seminar to TAS Trans Corp". Cavitex. MPT South. July 31, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
3. "Bus Routes Inter-Region to Manila". LTO Portal PH. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
4. "Tas Trans P2P buses now accept Beep card". Interaksyon. August 24, 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
5. Cupin, Bea (September 27, 2013). "Operators sue Manila over bus ban". Rappler. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
6. "Beep card payments now accepted in P2P buses". Bilyonaryo. Bilyonaryo Business News. August 23, 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
7. Banzon, Sharleen (May 31, 2020). "P2P bus routes to operate under GCQ starting June 1". Top Gear Philippines. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
8. "Las Piñas deploys 2 P2P buses". Metro News Central. 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
9. MPT South (May 22, 2025). "MPT South kicks off Road Safety Month with 'Drayberks: Ready 4 Safety' campaign". CALAX.com.ph. Retrieved February 14, 2026.