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Thursday, February 05, 2004
V-hire terminals need biz permits: CH lawyer
By Oscar C. Pineda
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE Lapu-Lapu City legal office has clarified that operators of vans-for-hire terminals must secure a provisional business permit, not just a barangay clearance.
Lapu-Lapu City Attorney Vincent Joseph Lim said he will start checking on V-hire terminals that have no provisional business permits.
“They should get a business permit from City Hall,” Lim said, following reports that these private terminals, like one behind a mall, charge fees on vans that use the facility.
But a terminal operator said City Hall won’t issue business permits pending the establishment of a City-owned centralized transport terminal.
A city councilor assured him that in this case, a barangay clearance will suffice, the operator said.
Lim disagreed, saying terminal operators still need a provisional business permit. To get one, though, a barangay clearance is required.
Lim explained that the City issues provisional business permits because once the centralized terminal is built, the City will no longer renew the permits it previously issued to these terminals.
So far, only two V-hire associations in Lapu-Lapu City were issued a provisional business permit.
Surprise
As this developed, Marina mall management expressed surprise over “excessive” fees collected from a V-hire terminal located in the mall’s parking area.
Marina mall manager Nico Ladrido said the mall management is not connected with the terminal or has control over the collection of fees.
Marina terminal, managed by Teofilo “JR” Rosaroso, reportedly collects P25 from every van that uses the facility.
City Hall records show the terminal does not have a provisional permit.
In an interview, Rosaroso corrected earlier reports that he charged P5,000 membership fee from those who use the Marina terminal, saying he only charges P1,000 membership for that terminal.
He believes that these allegations came from his detractors.
Rosaroso explained that collections from the P25 fee per van are used in the maintenance and expenses of the terminal.
According to City hall records, only two terminals have been granted a provisional permit. These are Millennium V-Hire Association, based in Barangay Gun-ob, and the Ayala V-Hire Organization Inc., formerly based in Barangay Pajo.
Organization
The Ayala V-hire organization, though, no longer uses the Pajo terminal and is now based in Ayala Center Cebu mall in Cebu City.
Rosaroso, who operates Marina terminal, also operates the Pajo terminal.
Rosaroso said the lot occupied by the Pajo terminal is owned by Anthony Chua and is being rented by Paul Henry Weigel II.
Marina mall management, for its part, is leasing the lot they occupy from Mactan Economic Zone Authority. In their memorandum of understanding with Barangay Ibo, Weigel represents the terminal organization.
Rosaroso admitted that both Marina and Pajo terminals have no business permits, only barangay clearances.
That was because he was told that the City can’t issue a business permit pending a public hearing for van operators and the building of the city-owned centralized terminal.
When he applied for a business permit, he went to see the mayor’s secretary Rolando Duero, who referred him to Councilor Alley Berdin, the assistant chair of the committee of transportation.
From Berdin, Rosaroso learned the City is yet to hold a public hearing, which will serve as a basis for the creation of an ordinance governing V-hire terminals.
Sufficient
Rosaroso said Berdin told him that while there is still no ordinance governing terminals, a barangay clearance is sufficient.
However, in an interview, Berdin said terminal operators need to have business permits. He said even vendors are required to get one.
Lim said getting a barangay clearance is not enough. After getting a barangay clearance, terminal operators should get a provisional business permit. “They still have to pay the city,” Lim said.
City Traffic Management Services (CTMS) Chief Frank Brazil earlier explained the permit is “provisional” because the applicant promises to close their private terminals once the city opens up the centralized terminal for all public transportations.
Rosaroso, meanwhile, denied he charged “excessive” fees to those who wish to use his terminal in Pajo.
He admitted they have a proposal charging a new member P3,500 plus the original P2,500 membership fee for those who wish to use the Pajo terminal.
But that proposal has yet to be enforced, as they only charge P3,500 for new members in the Pajo terminal.
As to the Marina terminal, Rosaroso said they earlier requested the Marina management to provide them a slot in the parking area to use as a van terminal. He said the management allocated them a slot in the area for as long as they pay the rate.
(February 5, 2004 issue)
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