Integrated bus terminal eyed at SRP

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu Provincial Government is planning to build an Integrated North and South Bus Terminal at the South Road Property (SRP) should the ongoing land swapping negotiations between the Capitol and the City Hall would come to fruition.

 Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said that a portion of the SRP is one of the properties the city government identified to be swapped for the Capitol-owned lots under Ordinance 93-1. 

Once the deal is sealed, Garcia said the Cebu South Bus Terminal and the North Bus Terminal will be relocated at the SRP.

“One of the lots nga ilang gi-identify is a possible site for an Integrated North and South Bus Terminal and that is at the SRP,” Garcia told reporters.

She said the property is ideal for the integrated terminal since it is located at the seaside.

 “Ang nakanindot man gud ana nga property kay kon madayon na that is alongside the sea, seaside, so makahimo ta diha og port kung diin ang passengers may now take mga sea taxis or shuttles or sea ferries, sea buses, which mao man tingale na sugdan diri sa Liloan para makafeed diri sa atong terminals,” Garcia said.

The governor said the integrated bus terminal at the SRP will help decongest the traffic on Natalio Bacalso Avenue where the South Bus Terminal is located. The North Bus Terminal is temporarily located beside SM City Cebu at the North Reclamation Area.

Garcia said the provincial government and the city government are still in the process of negotiation.  The governor has assured the 93-1 beneficiaries that the province is very much willing to hand over the properties to the City of Cebu for as long as the Province will be justly compensated.

“Kay ako pud ni’ng obligasyon nga dili pud maalkansi ang Probinsya kay misalig baya mga taga Probinsya nako nga ako ni modesider para nila,” Garcia said.

The 93-1 Provincial Ordinance was approved in 1993 covering 51 hectares of province-owned lots occupied by around 5,000 beneficiaries in Barangays Busay, Luz, Lahug, Mabolo, Apas, Lorega, Kasambagan, Capitol Site, Tejero, and Kalunasan. — FPL (FREEMAN)