November rush congests Cebu terminals

Bus terminals in Metro Cebu were crowded yesterday as people rushed to their hometowns for the weekend for All Saints and All Souls Days.

Long lines, people dashing to get bus seats and frayed nerves were experienced at the Cebu City South Bus Terminal (CSBT) and the Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) in Mandaue City.

Law enforcers tried to control the crowd but were often outnumbered by passengers eager to leave the cities.

While most passengers found operations at the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) yesterday more orderly than in past years, some were irked due to the lack of buses.

“There are so many people but the buses aren’t many. There aren’t enough for all of us,” said 31-year-old Lilah Kim. Lilah and her husband came from Korea and are travelling to Dumaguete City. A few minutes later they gave up and boarded a van-for-hire, which charges higher fare.

CSBT management estimated around 20,000 people flocked to the terminal at N. Bacalso Avenue since morning until 3 p.m. yesterday.

At around 5 p.m. passengers spilled out of the terminal up to a mall in the corner of Leon Kilat Street, some 150 meters away.

At the north bus terminal in M. Logarta Avenue in Mandaue City, the 250 buses plying northern Cebu routes was hardly enough to accommodate the surge of passengers which increased after noon.

The Caitol and the Cebu City government declared half-day work yesterday to give time for employees to travel. Many private employees also took half-day leaves.

Bruce Reyes, a native of Ginatilan town, said he found the traffic system inside the terminal more regulated compared to last year, where everyone was pushing around and scrambling for a bus seat.

“I’m quite satisfied, but it would have been better if the lines moved faster,” he said.

College student Dennis Bardon, on the other hand, would take 20 to 30 minutes before he moved a step closer to his bus.

Bardon, who was headed to Carcar city to visit his family, said the line movement was too slow.

“They are so focused here inside even with the railings to regulate the passengers but outside, nobody is really paying attention. There are some who even cut in,” he said.

Outnumbered

CSBT Acting Operations Manager Eddie Dusaban admitted that yesterday’s crowd exceeded his estimate of 16,000 for the day.

Dusaban said passenger congestion was mainly due to the shortage of buses.

Even with the additional 50 Ceres Liner buses and eight Suroy-suroy sa Sugbo buses made available on top of 285 existing buses, it is still not enough to accommodate all the passengers.

“Even if we had 1,000 vehicles, there would be a hundred times more passengers,” said Dusaban.

At the CNBT, Zosimo Jumao-as, General Manager of Cebu North Bus Terminal said, there were around 250 Buses that were plying the northern towns including around more than 20 buses who availed special permits from the LTFRB. Still that was not enough.

Unlike the CSBT, Jumao-as said the passenger movement at the CNBT is more manageable and calm.

Suroy-suroy buses

Acting Governor Agnes Magpale inspected the CSBT and found a system in place.

“The system is there. We saw the flow of traffic– very orderly. It’s just that we really lack buses,” said Magpale.

Magpale appealed to the public to be more patient with the lines, especially to those who will be traveling today. Eight Suroy-suroy Sugbo buses will be used if needed. Magpale.

Security was tightened in both bus terminals. At the Cebu City port, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)posted twelve K9 sniffing dogs. Special permits were issued to ship owners for additional trips.