Council awaits proposals from terminal investors

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council is urging interested investors who wish to operate a transport terminal in the city to submit their proposals but it should be supported with a technical study to show that there is really a need for the establishment of additional terminals in the city.

Councilor Gerardo “Gerry” Carillo said the proposals should include a technical study showing that there is a public need for the terminal and indicating the terminal’s layout, site development plan and the facilities to be provided.

It will also include the number of personnel to be deployed and other relevant information showing the technical soundness of the project. A Traffic Impact Assessment was also required including a proposal on how to deal with any adverse impact.

According to Carillo, the proponent said the terminal user’s fees to be used in the analysis should be based on the prevailing approved rates for existing terminal operators.

Newly-installed City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) Board Chairman Ruben Almendras said he is supporting the establishment of more transport terminals in the city because it will help decongest the traffic rather than allow the public utility vehicles to roam on the streets.

The city has an existing ordinance that public utility vehicles coming from different routes outside Cebu City shall be allowed only up to the accredited transport terminals. At present, only the South Bus Terminal and the CitiLink Terminal along Natalio Bacalso Avenue are accredited by the city to operate.

City Ordinance 1837 was enacted in 1990 purposely to decongest the city streets of vehicles because it provides that public utility vehicles plying outside the city shall no longer be allowed on the city streets and are only allowed up to the accredited terminals.  (FREEMAN)