LAPU-LAPU City Mayor Paz Radaza has put on hold an ordinance establishing a centralized terminal for vans-for-hire in the city.

In her regular press conference yesterday, the mayor said the ordinance failed to consider the City’s existing agreement with a mall over the latter’s PUV terminal.

“The ordinance needs a thorough discussion, especially that we have a memorandum of agreement with a mall,” said Radaza, who had vetoed the ordinance.

The mayor said she felt bypassed as the measure was not submitted for her review, being the chair of the City Traffic Management System (CTMS) Board.

“I have nothing against the ordinance, but it needs a more thorough discussion.

The usufruct between the City and the Taipan Development Inc. should be looked into,” she said.

The City has an existing deal with the company, which operates the Gaisano Capital Mactan mall, for the operation of a van-for-hire terminal in the mall for 25 years.

The ordinance prohibits vans-for-hire from using other terminals apart from the terminal for public utility vehicles in Barangay Pajo.

The CTMS Board sent a letter to the council to defer the approval of the ordinance, but it was too late as the measure had already been passed, Radaza said.

Apart from the existing deal between the City and the Taipan Development Inc., Radaza said concerns about whether the proposed centralized terminal for vans-for-hire will give convenience or not to the public should be discussed.

Radaza added that an inventory of existing terminals has not even been done yet.

There are more than 600 public utility vehicles (PUV) plying the city’s streets, but more than 1,000 franchises have been released by the City to PUV operators.