Passengers board buses heading to their destination in southern Cebu to spend time with their families or to go on a vacation during the Holy Week. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines —The management of the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) has started to prepare for the expected influx of passengers during the observance of the Holy Week, which will happen in two weeks time.
CSBT Operations Manager Jonathan Tumulak told CDN Digital that they had implemented a permanent rearrangement of the stalls inside the terminal to maximize the space and address common complaints that the queue of passengers during the peak season would reach up to Natalio Bacalso Avenue.
“Usa sa atong gihatagan og priority kay kanang sagad nga reklamo nga ang linya maabot sa highway. Duna tay gi-adjust karon sa location sa mga stalls sa terminal to give way sa mga maglinya na mga pasahero. Mao ni una nato nga gihatagan og pagtagad,” Tumulak said.
(One of our priority is to address the complaints of commuters about the queue reaching the highway. We have adjusted the location of the stalls at the terminal to give way to queue of commuters. This is a priority and we are addressing it.)
Tumulak said that they hd already requested to the Capitol for augmentation of personnel that would help man the operations in the terminal during the Holy Week.
According to Tumulak, they expect the most number of passengers using the terminal from Holy Monday, April 15, up to noontime of Maundy Thursday, April 18.
Holy Week is one of the seasonal peak of passengers riding buses from the Cebu South Bus Terminal. During the Sinulog 2019 this year, thousands also flocked to Cebu City to witness the event.
Read more: South Bus Terminal to close on Sinulog
Tumulak said he would also be meeting with the officials from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7), Land Transportation Office (LTO-7) and the Cebu Provincial Bus and Minibus Operators Cooperative to discuss the road safety of bus units and travelers during the Holy Week.
“Morequest pod ta og additional manpower from Capitol, manpower from the Civil Security Unit, blue guards ug sa atong kapolisan para modungag sa security sa terminal,” Tumulak said.
(We re requesting for additional manpower from Capital, manpower from the Civil Security Unit, blue guards and the police to help secure the terminal.)
“As early as now, nadungagan na og personnel ang PNP aside sa upat ka regular nga nakadeploy sa sulod sa terminal. In preparation ni siya sa mahal nga adlaw,” he added.
(As of now, we already have some personnel and PNP police officers and that’s aside from the regular employees deployed at the terminal. This is also part of the preparation for the Holy Week. /dbs