CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña ordered the closure of a temporary van-for-hire (V-hire) terminal in Barangay Kamagayan yesterday after a reported dispute between its manager and some of the mayor’s allies.
In his news conference yesterday, Osmeña said he received a report the Douglas Labra, who manages the temporary terminal, did not allow personnel from the Barangay Mayor’s Office (BMO) in Barangay Kamagayan to park in the area.
“When it reached the point when he told the BMO there not to park, I told them to stop. Murag nahimong hari ba (He’s acting like a king), so I told them to shut down the whole thing,” Osmeña said.
He said he wanted to “dismantle the hierarchy.”
The CitiCenter Commercial Complex occupied the space before it was demolished, leaving behind a large open area close to downtown Cebu City.
Osmeña said he didn’t want any abuse of the authority in the area as he only accommodated the V-hire drivers and allowed their temporary use of the space.
In a month, Osmeña said, the terminal earns the City around P400,000 in exchange for the use of the property.
Asked where he will transfer the terminal, Osmeña said it’s not his problem anymore.
When sought for comment, Labra said it was the BMO team who did not allow other vehicles to park in the spaces designated for them. He said he understands if the terminal has to shut down its operations since Osmeña made it clear to them that the facility would be temporary.
Labra said he will ask the owner of a lot in the South Road Properties where the Farmer’s Market was located before to let them temporarily use the area.
At least 227 V-hires used the terminal, he added.
Some passengers and drivers expressed their worry over Mayor Osmeña’s order to shut down the terminal.
“Makaapekto gyud ni ug maayo namo kay wala mi lain trabaho (This will affect us because we don’t have any other job),” said Euphrates Murallon, 62, who has made a living as a driver for 16 years.
Student Aikler Causarren, 22, regularly uses the terminal when she travels to and from Toledo City. “Naguol ko nga ipa close diay (I’m sad that it’s being closed).” She said it was a good location because she could easily get a ride to other areas.
Kamagayan Barangay Captain Raquel Avila declined to comment on the order. But she shared that if the Sangguniang Kabataan will be allowed to conduct sports activities in the area, she would be happy. (RVC with Paula Joy Mendoza, CNU Intern)