The Cebu Provincial Board approved a resolution on June 22, 2026, authorizing a usufruct agreement for the Cebu North Bus Terminal, enabling the Provincial Government to proceed with facility developments.
The agreement allows the Province of Cebu to use 4,500 square meters of SM Prime Holdings Inc.'s property for the terminal, while ownership remains with the private mall.
Approval addresses operational constraints caused by the previous lack of a contract, which forced the terminal to rely on costly measures such as daily P5,000 portable toilet rentals and standby generators.
GREATER convenience is expected for commuters and tourists heading to the northern towns of Cebu after the Provincial Board approved a resolution authorizing a usufruct agreement for the Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT).
The resolution, authored by Board Member Raymond Joseph Calderon, was approved during the Provincial Board’s out-of-town regular session on Monday, June 22, 2026, held in the municipality of Madridejos, Cebu.
The approval clears the gridlock, allowing the Provincial Government to jump-start long-stalled developments at the terminal, including the installation of an electrical transformer and the construction of permanent commuter facilities.
Terminal operations face constraints
On May 24, 2026, SunStar reported that the current operations face constraints because of the lack of a contract, which forces the terminal to resort to temporary, costly measures. Currently, the operation relies on standby generators without an electrical transformer and requires P5,000 daily to rent portable toilets.
In contrast to the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT), which occupies the province-owned 1.2-hectare property along N. Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City, the Cebu North Bus Terminal is located within SM City Cebu, owned by SM Prime Holdings Inc.
Usufruct arrangement granted free
In a copy of the resolution obtained by SunStar Cebu on Monday, June 29, 2026, the private mall has expressed its willingness to grant the usufruct arrangement to the province for the 4,500-square-meter portion of the mall’s North Open Parking Area 2.
“Under the proposed Usufruct Agreement, ownership shall remain with SM Prime Holdings Inc., while the Province of Cebu shall be granted the right to possess, use, and develop the property exclusively as a temporary location for the Cebu North Bus Terminal, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein,” the resolution reads. / Veejay Catadman, UP Cebu Intern
