CEBU Gov. Pamela Baricuatro is set to review the Provincial Capitol’s contract with Mister Loo, the private operator of comfort rooms at the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT), which she said gives only five percent of its gross sales to the Province without paying rent.
A meeting with the company is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, 2025, following Baricuatro’s inspection of the CSBT on Tuesday, July 15.
The governor called the terminal “unsafe” during the inspection, pointing to dilapidated ceilings and poor management.
Baricuatro said a comprehensive review of CSBT’s inadequate facilities will be conducted, alongside the terms of Capitol’s existing restroom service agreement with Mister Loo.
In response to these developments, Mister Loo Senior Business Development Manager Cristina Bolcan said, in a text message to SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, their contract explicitly requires the company to build, design and finance the three CR facilities of the CSBT.
Bolcan explained that their contract with the Province, signed by then-governor Gwendolyn Garcia, is valid until 2028; however, any renewal would be at the discretion of the next provincial administration.
During Baricuatro’s CSBT inspection, accompanied by Provincial Administrator Ace Durano, the governor’s Chief of Staff Paulo Uy, and Provincial Information Officer Ruben Licera, the governor pointed out “critical issues” at the CSBT.
She specifically pointed to dilapidated ceilings, saying they were “accidents waiting to happen,” and criticized the terminal’s poor management.
The inspection also looked into reports of fees being collected for public
comfort rooms.
Baricuatro expressed surprise upon learning that Mister Loo operates three toilet facilities within the terminal.
She noted that under its current arrangement with the Capitol, Mister Loo remits only five percent of its gross sales to the Province, without paying any rental fees.
“They must be making good business here,” she said.
“They started with one and now they have three CRs, only to find out that they only give five percent of the gross sales to the Province without paying rental fees,” Baricuatro added.
In light of these findings, the governor announced immediate plans to review the terms of the contract with Mister Loo.
During her scheduled meeting with company representatives on Wednesday, Capitol lawyers will examine the contract with Mister Loo for potential issues.
The governor also lamented challenges encountered during the CSBT turnover last July 1, which, she said, led to immediate operational struggles.
Looking ahead, Baricuatro revealed plans to repurpose the terminal’s second floor, previously occupied by business stalls, for government offices. / JPS with reports from Reydante Tinapay and Jallee Haze Marimon, HNU Interns