Commuters bound for south of Cebu for the All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day line up at the ticketing station of the Cebu South Bus Terminal on Thursday morning, October 31, 2019. CDN Digital photo | Raul Tabanao
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Passengers heading to their hometowns to observe All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day have started to flock the Cebu South Bus Terminal on Thursday, October 31, 2019, with the queues reaching outside the terminal.
The CSBT management has designated the right entrance gate of the CSBT as the sole entry point of the passengers into the terminal. The left side gate, meanwhile, has been designated as the only exit point in the terminal.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who inspected the terminal this morning, said the measure is to better manage the flow of passengers getting in the terminal.
Around 50,000 passengers are expected to arrive and depart from the terminal daily starting today until November 3.
Irene Ilagan, who lives in Barangay Punta Princesa in Cebu City, arrived at the terminal shortly after 12 noon with her two teenage daughters. They are heading to their hometown in Ronda to visit the tombs of their departed relatives.
Ilagan said they had to wait until the travel peak today since her children still had classes at school.
Unlike the previous years where the passengers go directly inside the terminal to board the buses, this time, they need to get their tickets first from the makeshift booths set by the bus lines.
Read: ‘No ticket, no entry’ in Cebu’s south bus terminal
Although it stalled them for a few minutes to line up for their tickets, Ilagan said the policy has made the flow in the terminal more systematic.
“Okay ra man kay hapsay ra man pod (The new policy is okay because it is implemented smoothly),” Ilagan said.
Garcia, in an interview, said the policy is necessary to ensure the safety of the passengers inside the terminal.
“Kay daghan man kaayo so naglinya gyud sila pero I think balanced against the safety and security of the terminal and our passengers, moagi lag ta og gamay nga discomfort kay kung ato ning ablihan tanan agianan hasta kamo wala nay barugan dinhi,” Garcia said.
(They really had to queue in because there are a lot of passengers but I think balanced against the safety and security of the terminal and our passengers, I’d prefer that we experience a bit of discomfort. If we open all the gates for everyone, the terminal will get too crowded.)
“Assured sila nga walay mokalit og panguot or mobira sa ilang bagahe diri,” said Garcia.
(They are assured that no one will pick-pocket or snatch their baggage from them.)
Security measures have also been tightened inside the terminal to prevent the entry of contrabands like liquors, flammable substances, and pointed objects.
On top of the 12 blue guards per eight-hour shift inside the terminal, the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) has also deployed eight policemen to be on duty round the clock.
Personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) also made rounds in the terminal on Thursday morning. /bmjo