Take trips early

CEBU, Philippines - With an expected influx of around 20,000 to 25,000 passengers within two days, Cebu North Bus Terminal general manager Zosimo Jumao-as Jr. advised commuters to take early trips as a shortage of buses is anticipated.

Commuters are also expected to start crowding the terminal as early as 5 p.m. today.

Jumao-as said the anticipated bus shortage is “normal” because of the significant increase of commuters owing to the observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. There will also be delays in the arrival of buses and v-hires because of traffic congestion and their far-flung destinations, he said.

He said the NBT will field around 250 buses per day for the peak season. Each bus can carry an average of 50 passengers.

“Ma-serve man nato tanang pasahero kun dili lang magdungan tanan,” he said.

The NBT, which was built in 1995, is under the management of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Multi-purpose Cooperative, Inc. who entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Cebu City Government for the operation and maintenance of the terminal.

The Cebu City Government is leasing the property from its owner, the Mandaue City Government.   

Eddie Dusaban Sr., acting operations manager of the CSBT, said that they expect a deluge of passengers starting yesterday afternoon until the dawn of November 1.

He said that they have already put up railings and deployed additional bus personnel to control the crowd. Around 16 CCTV cameras were also installed around CSBT.

“Lahi atong setup now. We are deploying a lot of people here and have put up new signages to guide our passengers. Every day, we will assess if kinahanglan naa pa’y adjustments nga buhaton,” he added.

Dusaban also said that additional security guards from the Capitol and its Civil Security Units personnel, members of the PNP and Citizen Police Auxiliary Group will be deployed today to augment the security in the area.

Police ready

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office director Prudencio Tom Bañas said security preparations are already in place while the police personnel are ready to assist in the observance starting tomorrow.

Bañas inspected the security preparations of the major cemeteries, ports and bus terminals in Cebu City yesterday. He first visited and went around the Cebu South Bus Terminal and got on a bus to check the vehicle and talk to passengers.

He also visited the Calamba Cemetery and Carreta Cemetery which are considered the biggest cemeteries in Cebu City; there he distributed crime prevention flyers to the public.

Waterfront Police Station Chief Senior Inspector Wayne Magbanua said that they have put up barbed wires at the back portion of the Carreta Cemetery and have deployed personnel to maintain peace and order.

Bañas’ last stop was to assess the security preparations of Passenger Terminal 1 (Pier 1). He went inside the passenger’s waiting area and distributed posters and flyers.

He also inspected the public assistance desks in the four areas he visited yesterday.

Satisfied with the security preparations of his police personnel for November 1 and 2, Bañas said that the police are ready for the next two days.

“Maganda naman ang preparation ng kapulisan natin dito. Naka-set up na sila sa strategic areas. Security measures are in place. We want to make sure everything is safe and in order sa pag-uwi ng ating mga kababayan sa kanilang probinsya,” he said.

PRO-7 has deployed 300 new police recruits from Regional Public Safety Battalion to the different police offices in the region in additional to the number of local police present in order to assure security and safety of the public during the observance.

The public are reminded that sharp objects, sound systems and liquor should be not brought to cemeteries. Illegal gambling and making loud noise is also prohibited in cemeteries and public places.

Drunken persons will not be allowed to enter bus terminals.

San Nicolas Police Station chief Senior Inspector Chuck Barandog said they are more organized this year in terms of preparing for the observance, but he raised concern on the projected heavy traffic in the area with the ongoing road construction along V. Rama Avenue.

He said that they are still waiting for the approval of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management for one-way traffic in the area. He also suggested for the public to walk going to the Calamba Cemetery from the area designated by CITOM as the parking area in Private. He added that people need not worry in terms of security since police personnel will be deployed in the streets.

Barandog said that they have conducted simulation exercises on several emergency cases such as bomb threats, fire drill, and first aid response.

Cebu City Police Office director Senior Superintendent Noli Romana  directed his station commanders to put up a Police Assistance Desk in front of the 27 cemeteries in the city. Policemen have also been deployed in the different cemeteries along with barangay tanod, the Barangay Intelligence Network and other force multipliers.

The Cebu Provincial Police Office, which has been divided into two sectors, shall secure 134 cemeteries and 15 terminals, establish 63 Public Assistance Centers and deploy 1,200 PNP personnel to be complemented by 3,000 force multipliers.

The north and south sectors will be manned by Superintendent Anthony Bagarinao and Superintendent Renato Malazarte, respectively, and will be supervised by CPPO director Senior Superintendent Noel Gillamac.

Trash talk

As Filipinos remember their departed loved ones, state environment agency urged authorities and the general public not to forget about proper solid waste management.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 pushed for proper segregation and reduction of waste in connection with the observance of All Saints’  and All Souls’ Day.

As such, DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo urged the cemetery administrators and the local government units to provide strategically identified waste receptacles to encourage the segregation of trash and lessen the amount of garbage in the cemetery. — with Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento and Jessa J. Agua/BRP (FREEMAN)