PB pushes for van for hire units to access South Bus Terminal

CEBU, Philippines - To address "inconvenience" among the commuters, the Cebu Provincial Board wants the group of drivers plying the southbound route be given parking slots at the Cebu South Bus Terminal.

The board asked CSBT chief Alberto Herrera Jr. through the governor to provide access to vans for hire (v-hire) and allocate parking slots for them "to get equal share of the riding public."

"In trying to effectively support the over-all public transportation needs of our constituents who, regardless of social status, are in purist of adequate and quality transportation service, the province of Cebu seeks to fully address this inconvenience," read the approved resolution authored by Board Member Glenn Bercede.

The board explained that the terminal at SM Seaside in Cebu City's South Road Properties is quite "inaccessible" to most riding public.

"Some operators of V-hire were compelled to pick up passengers in an adjacent area of the CSBT as there are passengers who could not afford for a taxi to get themselves to SM terminal," Bercede said.

Bercede said transferring v-hires to the CSBT is beneficial as this would cut additional cost for taxi fare.

"It would also widen preference of the riding public to choose a bus, mini bus or v-hire, depending on their convenient need," he added.

The CSBT, however, according to Herrera, is already over congested. In fact, he said, it is accommodating at least 20,000 passengers a day, way beyond its 500 capacity.

 If v-hires will be added, he said, he doesn't know yet how the passengers would be accommodated.

Bercede assured, nevertheless, that he will look into the concern for the convenience of the general public.

"Huot naman ang terminal sa pagkakaron.   Asa na man nato ibutang? Lisod ni siya pero di 'ta mobalibad, ato usang tan-awon. We will find a way to accommodate them," he said.

He added that he will also consult the bus operators whether or not they are amenable to this. He suggested that the proposal should undergo public hearing to get all sides of the stakeholders.

SM Seaside has allotted one level of its parking lot for v-hire units.

The Cebu City government, SM Seaside management and v-hire drivers and operators have signed an agreement to use SM Seaside as temporary terminal.

Under the agreement, SM Seaside management will provide for free in the next two years an area for loading, unloading and parking for v-hire units.

But before the terminal was transferred to SM Seaside, v-hire units used an area near the Compaña Maritima as temporary terminal last year after former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama ordered the closure of One Citilink Terminal. (FREEMAN)