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Friday, April 14, 2006
Large crowds prompt Capitol to push bus terminal expansion
THE deluge of people who used the Cebu South Bus Terminal yesterday only underscores the need to expand the facility, according to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
She revealed that the Capitol is set to implement anytime now the court order telling squatters occupying more than 30,000 square meters in the terminal to leave for their relocation site.
“We have given them enough time, stretched our patience for so long. Less than 100 ra sila, while hundreds of thousands nga mga taga province nga maoy nanag-iya niini will benefit from the expansion,” Garcia, who inspected the terminal yesterday, told reporters.
Parking space
A farmers’ mall or a shopping complex is being eyed to add to the terminal, but Garcia stressed that the expansion of parking spaces for the buses will have to come immediately after the demolition of structures.
The terminal also posted a 16.3 percent increase in income from January to March this year, compared to last year’s first-quarter figures.
The illegal settlers had vowed to bring the conflict all the way to the Supreme Court. But the governor said that as of now, the Regional Trial Court decision upholding the Capitol’s stand stays.
It is not even the responsibility of the Province to give them a relocation site, but it has offered one, she added. The illegal occupants, however, refused to go to the relocation area in Barangay Kalunasan.
“Wa sila kauyun sa relocation site. Sorry ha, wa man gud mi kakita og condominium, mahal man pud ang Maria Luisa... Usahay man gud malimot ta sa atong kaugalingung responsibilidad ug abusuhan nalang ang kaayo sa tawo (They do not like the relocation site. I’m sorry we failed to find a condominium, and Maria Luisa is expensive. Sometimes people forget their own responsibilities and abuse the kindness of others),” the governor said.
The governor said they still have to find a way of doing expansion without disrupting ongoing terminal operations, considering that the facility is already crowded.
Commended
Meanwhile, the governor commended the terminal management for the rise in revenues.
“I will be happier if this will increase further,” she said.
The terminal earned P19,653,203 last year. Garcia has set a target of P25 million in earnings for this year.
Manny Guial, the terminal’s manager, expects to have more income-generating activities for the facility for the rest of the year, with the small businesses approaching him for space there.
“I gave them the benchmark, meeting the target will be up to their innovativeness and creativity,” Garcia said. JPM
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 13, 2006 issue)
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