Review sought on city bid for open space

After initially complaining about their transfer to the Compania Maritima building vacant site, the van-for-hire operators now want to return to it, citing passenger complaints about their present site at SM Seaside City. (CDN File Photo)

The Team Rama bloc in the Cebu City Council wants the City Legal Office to look into a resolution authorizing Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to negotiate with Cebu Port Authority (CPA) on the use of the open space near Compania Maritima.

In last Wednesday’s session, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera said the resolution filed by Councilor Eugenio Gabuya Jr. should be studied first considering that the city has a pending question on the ownership of the lot.

“Approval of the resolution would, as if, mean the city agrees that CPA owned the lot,” Pesquera said.

The preferred area is being claimed by CPA on the strength of the prevailing Executive Order no. 448 issued on February 1975 by the late president Ferdinand Marcos.

But during the administration of former mayor Michael Rama, the city claimed ownership of the area that was used as a terminal for vans-for-hire (v-hire).

Councilor Gabuya said he would have wanted to authorize the mayor to negotiate with the CPA to transfer the v-hire terminal from SM Seaside City Cebu at South Road Properties (SRP).

“Operators of south-bound vans-for-hire have informed the city government about challenges they encountered every day at their present terminal,” he said.

Gabuya said passengers are also complaining on the location of the terminal.

These v-hires were parked at One Citilink Terminal along N. Bacalso Avenue, but Rama ordered the closure of the terminal in July last year.

After the closure, the v-hires were transferred to the open space in Compania Maritima then moved to SM Seaside City early this year.

“The operators prefer the open space or area along Compania Maritima building for v-hire terminal, waiting area, drop-off area and vans overnight parking area,” Gabuya said.