Amendment to ordinance eyed: Tomas insists to operate ‘illegal’ V-hire terminal

CEBU, Philippines - Despite the complaint filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman and the request of the Cebu City Council to close the V-hire terminal in Barangay Kamagayan, Mayor Tomas Osmeña insisted to continue its alleged illegal operation for the next 60 days.

Osmeña said the period will serve as test operation of the terminal while he is pushing for the council to amend City Ordinance 1958, which regulates the establishment and operation of terminals for public utility jeepneys and V-hires in the city.

“We cannot disrupt the service that V-hires are providing, this is an emergency measure. We can put there muna because people come to work every day,” he told reporters.

On Tuesday, the City Council approved the committee report of Councilor Joel Garganera recommending for the closure of the terminal.

Councilors Garganera, Raymond Alvin Garcia, Jose Daluz III, Phillip Zafra, Pastor Alcover, Jocelyn Pesquera, Eduardo Rama, and James Anthony Cuenco passed a resolution requesting Osmeña to close the terminal.

Seven members of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan voted against the resolution. They were Councilors Margarita Osmeña, Sisinio Andales, Joy Augustus Young, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Alvin Arcilla, Mary Ann de los Santos, and Nendell Hanz Abella. Councilor David Tumulak was out when the voting was made.

Garganera, chairman of the committee on transportation, said the operation of the terminal violates several provisions of the ordinance.

“Although the operation of the terminal is revenue-generating, the requisites as stated in Ordinance No. 1958 have been violated and the application procedures have been disregarded hence, it is illegal and its continued operation should be stopped,” he said.

The violations include the absence of the Certificate of Accreditation from the City Council. There was also no collection of registration fee of P2,000 per V-hire unit annually; provision of having the minimum lot area of 2,000 square meters; the prohibition of the ordinance to establish a terminal within 300-meter radius from a block that includes the central downtown area; among others.

The mayor said he will push for the amendment of the existing ordinance to institutionalize the terminal.

“Once we will formalize this, we want to form this in an ordinance and an ordinance needs a publication, a public hearing, and we will hear all the voices of the concern,” he said.

The mayor said the city government should not disrupt to the services of the terminal even if the passengers are not from the city.

“The council is not important. What’s important is for the people of Cebu to understand. These people in Team Rama, just because the passengers of the V-hire are not the voters in Cebu City, they are very arrogant,” he added.

Garganera said the city government should follow its own law so that everyone will follow suit. He said the city government should remain consistent in enforcing its laws in order to achieve a livable and sustainable city.  (FREEMAN)