CEBU, Philippines - The implementation of the new fees at the province owned and operated Cebu South Bus Terminal has earned the facility P315,000 in just six days from terminal fees and landing fees alone.
Capitol consultant Byron Garcia, who oversees the operation of the terminal, said at least 300 mini-buses and buses park daily at the South Bus terminal along Natalio Bacalso Ave.
During weekends they estimate as much as 10,000 people use the terminal.
Just recently, the province announced that all passengers bound for the southern part of Cebu will be paying a terminal fee of P5 before entering the terminal.
The new scheme is part of the modernization of services at the terminal for the comfort of the passengers.
According to Garcia, he was not expecting that they could reach that collection since their target is only P30,000 for this month.
“Wala baya mi nag-expect nga maabot ang maong collection. Nagpamatuod lang gyud nga gidawat ra sa publiko ang bag-ong sistema nga gi-implementar sa terminal,” Garcia said, adding that when it was launched last Tuesday there was some negative feedback from the passengers.
Before the passengers can enter the airconditioned passengers’ waiting area, Garcia said he or she has to drop a P5 coin or five P1 coins at the turnstile and the official receipt that will serve as their boarding pass.
With the increase in the terminal collection, they hope to reach P16 million next year and Garcia said they can now afford to pay their own maintenance and other operating expenses.
Garcia said they can now monitor if buses are overloading and thus ensure passenger are safe with the new system implemented.
An entrance fee of P100 for every bus and mini-bus will be charged.
Aside from the new implementation of collection, the buses that usually needed 30 minutes to load and unload passengers now only have 20 minutes to stay in the terminal. — Garry B. Lao/BRP (FREEMAN NEWS)