Around 50,000 passengers are expected to flock the Cebu South Bus Terminal on a daily basis from October 30 to November 3 in observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. | CDN File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Only those with tickets will be allowed to enter the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) as the facility implements a “No Ticket, No Entry” policy starting Tuesday, October 29.
The measure was put in place shortly after the meeting between the CSBT management and Cebu Governor Garcia at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on the same day, October 29.
“During my [previous] term as governor, we never allowed non-passengers inside the terminal because a terminal is supposed to be for passengers only,” Garcia said.
Garcia said she told the CSBT management to implement the measure two weeks ago.
But she found out during the Tuesday meeting that it was not carried out.
“I had already insisted as far back as two weeks ago that we should go back to the old policy so that all the bus lines should have their ticketing agents prior to entering the passengers waiting area so that the passengers will get their tickets there. The guards will look for those tickets and only when they have the tickets shall they be allowed to enter,” said Garcia.
The policy, Garcia said, will prevent the entry of lawless elements who might prey on the terminal passengers.
The terminal is expected to have 50,000 passengers on a daily basis from October 30 to November 3 due to the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Garcia said allowing “anybody to come in the terminal would be a risk to the security of the passengers and the terminal itself.”
Garcia said she is frustrated that the measure that she suggested two weeks ago was not followed.
“To my frustration, this was not followed. That is going to cause problems as far as the security of our passengers is concerned if anybody can just come… considering that the influx of passengers is expected to start tomorrow evening (October 30),” Garcia said.
At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29, ticketing agents of the bus liners set up tables at the right entrance of the terminal where incoming passengers usually enter.
Some passengers were confused while others about this procedure.
Other did not heed the ticketing agents’ advice to get their tickets first before entering the terminal.
They went straight to the gate only to be told by the guard to go back and get their tickets as they are not allowed to enter the passengers’ area without tickets. / celr