THE Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) is ready for the Holy Week observance.
DCOTT head Aisa Usop said in a media interview Monday, April 10, that she already met with the Civil Security guards and gave them instructions and sought coordination with Task Force Davao.
Usop said they also intend to add lanes to accommodate children, pregnant women and senior citizens.
"Ang passenger entrance, tulo na siya ka lanes pag regular day lang…pero pag holy week we informed them na kinahanglan dungagan ug duha ka lanes para sa bata, buntis ug senior citizens ug para sa additional na bagahe (The passenger entrance has three lanes in regular days, but during Holy Week, we informed them to ass two additional lanes for the children, pregnant women, senior citizens and added baggage)," she said.
Usop added that they have coordinated with the Davao City Police Office, which committed that they will add more personnel to patrol in the area.
She said it is also timely that they have already installed 20 cameras inside the terminal and two of them are rotating cameras.
Usop said they also extended the operating hours of the passenger's lounge up to 10 p.m. as they expect more passengers during the Holy Week.
She said in regular days, they record 650 to 700 bus trips carrying 30,000 to 35,000 passengers from Davao City to the rest of Mindanao.
"We are expecting 1,000 trips so that is equivalent to 50,000 passengers," Usop said.
She urged passengers to follow the rules of the DCOTT like maintaining order during inspection of bags and ensuring that pets, endangered animals and plants they'll bring have proper permits from concerned agencies.
Sharp objects are also not allowed, even the blades used for cockfights.
She also advised passengers to be early to avoid congestion in the terminals.
Usop added that those who are not going to the DCOTT are advised to go to legal van terminals located at Gaisano Mall of Davao, Victoria Plaza Mall, Tulip Drive, and SM City Davao.