AUTHORITIES urged bus drivers to strictly pick up and unload passengers only in terminals to avoid inconvenience in security and traffic enforcement.
Despite the announcement of Task Force Davao that walk-in and baggage scanners will be deployed in Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (Dcott) and checkpoints in Sirawan, Toril and Lasang, Davao City Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Benito De Leon said that Dabawenyos should not be complacent and must remain vigilant.
“We’re trying to change the attitude of the riding public, that as much as possible, the loading and unloading of passengers must be done from terminal-to-terminal, or bus stop-to-bus stop, so as not to cause obstruction,” De Leon said.
City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) head Dionisio Abude agreed with the PSSCC head’s opinion, saying that it might cause inconvenience to the passengers, but the public should consider the safety of everyone.
“Useless man gud ang pag-check sa terminal, pag abot nimo sa Panacan, naa nasab musakay nga pasahero. Kinsa na hinuon ang mag check ato nila (The inspections made inside the terminal would be useless when the bus reaches Panacan, the bus will load a passenger there. Who will inspect these passengers then?),” Abude said.
Panacan has a designated bus stop area.
Although Abude admitted that his office cannot strictly impose it to provincial buses since it is under the regulation of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Recently, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) heightened its alert level status, after the April 3 bombing in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, wherein 18 civilians were wounded.
Coincidentally, the incident happened weeks before the Holy Week observation, wherein an influx of passengers is expected.