Mayor Michael Rama’s directive: Move bus terminal

CEBU, Philippines - With worsening traffic problems hounding urban areas like Cebu City, Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said he wants terminals, particularly the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT), to be situated outside the city to better manage public transport.

He made this pronouncement on the heels of the city shutting down One Citilink Terminal along N. Bacalso Avenue, which catered to south-bound vans-for-hire and minibuses, due to permit violations two days ago.

“It’s my thrust that terminals should be out of the city. These (terminals) should no longer be and not encouraged inside the city since a large volume of vehicles are already coming in and out the city,” he said in a telephone interview yesterday.

Rama said he already spoke with Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, knowing that the province-owned CSBT lies at the center of the city.

“I was requesting for him (Davide) to have it (CSBT) outside the city and we have been discussing it maybe a year now. I was also telling the governor (that it is) time to rethink (the presence of the terminal in Cebu City) because buses are travelling at the heart of the city,” he said further.

Rama said Davide was “very receptive” and open to the idea of transferring the CSBT.

“He asked for a space at the South Road Properties but ahhh.. we can’t,” Rama said, adding that the SRP is still inside the city.

He preferred for the terminal to be transferred in Talisay City or in Minglanilla town.

The transfer of public transport terminals, Rama said, would also be beneficial to establishment of the Bus Rapid Transit, a mass transport system planned in Cebu City and outlying areas.

Rama’s plan, though, did not sit well with Julieto Flores, spokesperson of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association, who said their organization is opposed to any plan to transfer the CSBT.

Flores, who is also the chairman of the Cebu South Mini-bus Operators Association, said they would ask help from Davide III.

He said the terminal benefited not just those from the province but even those from Cebu City.

He further said that transferring the terminal to other areas would be very inconvenient on the part of passengers and terminal stakeholders.

As to One Citilink, Rama said he plans to meet with the owner to discuss turning it into a multi-purpose facility.

“We wish that we can again talk with the current owner so that we can re-discuss because there are too many things to be done. Let it be on accommodation, let it be tolerance so that the city government can come in,” he said.

Rama said the One Citilink building is already dilapidated and was made worse after the magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit the city last October 15, 2013.

“We will have it checked. If it’s no longer fit (for occupancy) then (he should) clear (demolish) it,” the mayor said.

He plans to enter into an agreement with the owner to convert the terminal, which sits on a private lot, into development facility like an evacuation center in case of calamities, or an event space, among others.

“We can just imagine of too many things that that area can be utilized for if the property owner would concur with us,” he said.

Last Monday, City Hall’s Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement office padlocked One Citilink, upon Rama’s orders, as it was actually operating without a mayor’s permit and has an unpaid obligation to the city amounting to P12.8 million as of May 15, 2015.

Vans-for-hire that used to drop off and pick passengers there  are now accommodated at the Taboan Public Market in Barangay San Nicolas Proper.

“They are not supposed to be there (Taboan Market) and they cannot be there because that is not intended as a terminal. So that will have to be clearly addressed and that is the responsibility now of (lawyers) Rafael Yap and Rey Gealon,” Rama said.

Yap is the City Traffic Operations Management chief, while Gealon is the traffic body’s executive director.

Sought for his view, Gealon said the city has no legal obligation to provide for a terminal for the vans-for-hire. — /RHM (FREEMAN)