Passengers heading south line up outside the Cebu South Bus Terminal in this file photo.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Bus operators in Cebu expressed optimism in trying out the “no ticket, no entry” policy implemented by the management of the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) on Tuesday, October 29.
But Julito Flores, president of Cebu Provincial Bus and Mini Bus Operators Transport Cooperative (CPBMTC), said this does not mean that operators are not facing challenges in adapting the newly implemented policy.
Flores, however, said they are willing to give the policy a chance as they understand the objective of the provincial government to impose the policy in the terminal for the safety of the passengers.
In a phone interview on Wednesday, October 30, Flores told CDN Digital that CPBMTC members are adjusting to the policy.
Flores admitted that they were taken aback by the implementation of the new policy and are “slightly apprehensive” considering that they are expecting an influx of passengers in the terminal starting tomorrow, October 31, as many people would be going to their home towns to observe the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
CSBT started to implement the no ticket, no entry policy in the terminal yesterday, October 29, following a meeting attended by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, CSBT Manager Carmen Quijano and law enforcement groups.
Garcia said not allowing non-passengers to get inside the terminal would be a way to prevent unscrupulous individuals from targeting passengers who are going home to their respective towns.
READ: ‘No ticket, no entry’ in Cebu’s south bus terminal
“Ako nakasabot sad ko sa side ni governor pero siguro nabag-ohan lang pod ang side sa mga pasahero. Ato lang pod tagaan og higayon ang management sa CSBT nga mo-implement sa maong directive,” said Flores.
(I understand the point of the governor. I think the passengers still need time to adjust. Let us give the CSBT management a chance to implement the governor’s directive.)
Garcia earlier expressed frustration when she found out that the “no ticket, no entry” policy was not yet implemented when she has given this instruction two weeks ago.
Flores said bus operators are now issuing tickets outside the passenger waiting areas.
He, however, admits that following the directive has not been easy for the operators considering the influx of passengers.
Flores said it would have been best that a dry run was conducted before the full implementation.
“Ato lang tan-awon ugma kay daghan na man ang pasahero unya duna tay mga adjustment pero atong hangyoon kung di gyud makaya. Tingalig dili mao ang ilang pagsugod. Wa ta kapangandam ba sa maong sistema,” Flores said of the new terminal policy.
(We will see how this goes tomorrow with the number of passengers getting in the terminal. We will try to adjust as much as we can but if it is really not possible yet, we will try to ask them to reconsider. Maybe this is just not the right time to start a new system because we have not prepared for this.) / celr