PB OKs contract for CSBT automated ticketing

Scenes from inside the Cebu South Bus Terminal on March 27, 2020, days before it halted operations because of the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Cebu City on March 28 and in Cebu province on March 30. | CDN Digital Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) may soon implement an electronic ticketing system after the Cebu Provincial Board authorized the Capitol to engage with a tech company for the establishment of an automated ticketing system.

In a resolution adopted on Monday, September 21, 2020, the Provincial Board authorized Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to sign a contract with Topline Hi-Tech Synergy Corporation for the design, supply, installation, operation, and maintenance of a centralized and automated ticketing system at the Capitol-ran terminal.

“With the continued strict implementation of the health and safety protocols in the Province of Cebu, there is a need to modernize ticket purchase, passenger handling, and management procedures through user-friendly technology that would help the bus terminal especially during peak hours when congestions are observed,” the resolution reads.

Topline earlier submitted an unsolicited proposal to design, supply, install, operate and maintain a cashless fare collection for CSBT through a Centralized Automated Ticketing System.

According to the Capitol, the proposal was scheduled for a Swiss Challenge, where other companies may match the proposal of the original proponent, last August 24 but no entries were submitted to challenge it.

“The Provincial Government of Cebu, upon the recommendation of the Economic Enterprise Council through Resolution No. 2020-02, declared Topline Hi-tech and Synergy Corporation as the winning proponent for the design, supply, installation, operation, and maintenance of cashless fare collection at The Cebu South Bus Terminal,” the resolution said.

According to the resolution, the implementation of the automated system is timely with the demand for safer processes amid the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The CSBT in N. Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City has only resumed operations last September 9 after over five months of a halt due to the quarantine restrictions.

During its resumption, CSBT Manager Carmen Quijano said they maintained the no-ticket, no-entry policy in the terminal, which was implemented since last November 2020.

/bmjo