CSBT management prepare for influx of Kalag-kalag commuters

The management of the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) has requested for the deployment of additional blue guards and policemen to ensure safety of commuters at the CSBT during the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day break.

Joey Herrera, terminal manager, said he already wrote their security agency to request for the deployment of 14 additional blue guards to augment their existing security force of 18 blue guards who work three shifts daily.

Herrera also wrote a separate letter to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) for the deployment of seven uniformed policemen at the terminal located along Natalio Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City.

The presence of long lines are a common problem during peak days and when there are long holidays that would prompt tourist and residents to travel to south Cebu towns.

“The thing is, it takes a lot of time for our (security) officers at the checkpoints to open up sealed packages, then reseal these again. This is one reason why the queue gets longer and depletes slower,” he said.

Last year, the long line of travelers reached the vicinity of N. Bacalso Avenue.

“I am urging our passengers that as much as possible, do not seal their items that will have to be subjected to security checks. Rather, seal them after the inspection,” Herrera said in yesterday’s Kapistorya, a weekly forum organized by the Cebu provincial government.

In order to ease the travelers’ burden in carrying heavy luggage and packages, Herrera said they would also be deploying trolleys at the terminal.

While terminal management prepares for the influx of travelers, Herrera is also asking the bus operators to impose discipline on their drivers and make sure that they do not resort to illegal drugs use to avoid the occurrence of road accidents.

“We are also urging bus operators to discipline their employees, particularly drivers. We acknowledge that sometimes, these drivers needed to take something in order to cope with the demands of their work, but bus companies should also be mindful about this,” he added.