Tomas: Let Mandaue manage terminal

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City South District Representative Tomas Osmeña said the management of the North Bus Terminal located in Mandaue City must be turned over to Mandaue and not to the provincial government.

Osmeña said the facility is located in Mandaue City, which has also signified interest to take over the management of the terminal.

“I asked Jonas Cortes if he wants it. He said yes. So we should give it to Mandaue since the North Bus Terminal is located in Mandaue,” Osmeña said.

Considering, however, that Mayor Michael Rama and Governor Gwendolyn Garcia are now friends, which reportedly can pave way for Cebu City to give in to the province’s request, Osmeña said he will be talking to members of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) in the City Council. 

“I will talk to the Council. I will tell them that Jonas is more of our ally. Who are you going to help, Jonas or the governor?” Osmeña said.

He said Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes wrote him when he was still mayor and asked that he endorse the turnover of the facility to Mandaue City.

If he will become mayor again, Osmeña said, he will give the management of the facility to Mandaue or will let Cebu City keep it.

Osmeña is running for Cebu City mayor next year and will be running against Rama, his erswhile friend and political ally.

The provincial government and the city government have been meeting and discussing means to improve the management of the North Bus Terminal.

The province expressed interest to take over the management of the facility after many of its constituents complained about the unruly situation at the terminal during the recent Lenten season.

The North Bus Terminal Management Advisory Board explained that the volume of passengers during the lent season was 50 percent more than last year, something that they did not expect.

The province offered to develop the facility and run it like how it is running the South Bus Terminal.

Osmeña, however, said that the provincial government is being conceited if it says that it can run the facility better.

The city government is leasing the property from Mandaue City at P2 million a month. It is under a 25-year lease which will expire on 2018 yet. The city government then entrusts the operation of the facility to a cooperative.

The income of the facility minus the annual rent is divided equally between the city government and the cooperative. — (FREEMAN)