CEBU-BASED traders and logistics firms are expected to benefit from improved supply chain reliability as the Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC) prepares to expand and upgrade its Mindanao operations in 2026, reinforcing intercity mobility that underpins the flow of goods from Mindanao’s production hubs to Cebu and other Visayas markets.
The transport group said its strategy for the year ahead will focus on strengthening intercity connectivity, improving fleet reliability, and supporting key trade corridors that link agricultural and industrial centers in Mindanao with urban consumption and distribution points.
YGBC also operates Ceres Liner, which serves several routes in Cebu Province.
“Efficient movement of people and goods is the backbone of regional development,” Group chairman and president Leo Rey Yanson said, noting that investments are being directed toward areas with rising economic activity and population growth. Public transport, he added, remains critical to sustaining economic momentum outside Metro Manila.
At Mindanao Star Bus Transit Inc., shareholders reelected Yanson as chairman and president, signaling continuity as the company sustains and expands services across Central Mindanao. The operator serves key routes in the Soccsargen region, an economy anchored by agriculture, food processing, and the country’s largest tuna industry—sectors that supply Cebu’s wholesale and export markets.
The company also retained its board, including Olivia Yanson, Ginnette Dumancas, Charles Dumancas, Arvin John Villaruel and Rey Ardo.
Meanwhile, Bachelor Express Inc. also reelected its board and reappointed Yanson as president and chief executive officer. Bachelor Express operates one of Mindanao’s widest intercity networks, linking Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Davao, Surigao, Malaybalay, Valencia, and Tagum—routes that support daily commerce and labor mobility feeding regional supply chains.
Yanson said the group’s 2026 plan will prioritize selective capacity additions, route optimization, and operational upgrades to meet rising passenger demand while managing cost pressures, with an emphasis on scalable growth rather than rapid fleet expansion.
Based in Bacolod City, the Yanson Group ranks among Southeast Asia’s largest land transport operators and employs more than 18,000 workers nationwide. As regional economies take on a larger share of national growth, the group is positioning its Mindanao operations as a key pillar supporting Cebu’s role as a regional trade and logistics hub. / KOC