CEBU Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has allowed the van-for-hire (v-hire) drivers and operators to transfer to the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) after being ejected from their temporary transport terminal on Junquera Street, Barangay Kamagayan, Cebu City last Friday, April 28, 2023.
A vacant space at the back of CSBT will be used as the sub-terminal for v-hires going to Simala in Sibonga town, Toledo City, Naga City, Moalboal and Pinamungajan, among other places in southern Cebu.
The affected drivers and operators met with Garcia at the Capitol on Wednesday, May 3, to ask for her help.
The following day, May 4, Garcia ordered CSBT manager Carmen Quijano to orient the drivers and operators on the terminal’s policies and how to use the beep card system that is currently implemented.
The 7,000 sq.m. lot owned by the Cebu City Government in Kamagayan has been temporarily used as terminal for v-hires for the past seven years until it was shut down last Friday.
Following their ejection from Kamagayan, the v-hire drivers transferred to SM Seaside but Dondon Omayan, president of GT Express Toledo Operators and Drivers Association, said in an interview with DyHP’s radio program claimed that their income has dwindled because the area is not accessible and passengers need to pay extra for their fare.
Quijano said that v-hire drivers must pay P150 every time they arrive at the terminal.
Parking overnight will cost an extra P50.
There are about 240 v-hires operating on the routes that go to southern Cebu, but the CSBT can only accommodate 40 to 50 of them.
"If ever dunay mga excess nila sila nay bahala asa na nila ipanud basta ang maka parking more or less 40-50," Quijano said on Thursday, May 4.
Quijano said the new development will enable them to earn more revenues in addition to the P200 fee that they collect from each of the around 500 buses that enter the terminal everyday.
"Additional income at the same time pagtabang sad sa mga drivers and operators (helping the drivers and operators was what gov did)," she added.
However, the vendors at the back of the terminal are worried about their livelihood since their stalls will be pulled out from the area to give way to v-hires.
They also wanted to talk to the governor to ask her for a place where they can transfer.
"Ang amo lang hangyo nga tagaan mi'g gamay nga pwesto og asa mi dapita basta naa lang mi gihapon. Mao ra gyud na nga magpabilin lang mi sa terminal tungod sa among gidugayon nga naninda mi," said one of the vendors, Josie Jugador.
(Our only request is to give us a little space anywhere as long as we are still here. That's why we want to remain at the terminal because we have been selling here for quite a long time already).
Quijano admitted that they previously relocated the vendors at the back of the terminal.
She added that at least five stall holders were issued notices to relocate.
"So dunay lima ana kabuok nga stall holders anang luyo pero karon giabisohan nato kay wala manay kontrata sa gobernador so anytime today makuha gyud na nato," dugang niya.
(So there are five stall holders at the back who were issued notices and they can be pulled out anytime today because they don’t have a contract with the governor).
For the meantime, the old system of collecting fares from passengers will be adopted by the v-hire drivers or conductors as the new system to book passengers’ tickets online has not yet been carried out. (ANV, TPT)