Bed, bath service, night market at bus terminal?

CEBU, Philippines -  The management of the Cebu South Bus Terminal is looking into a number of options to utilize almost 2,000 square meters of unutilized area inside the terminal’s property, including opening a “bed and bath” service and a night market.

During the third day of the marathon hearing for the 2015 budget yesterday, the management of the CSBT presented to the Committee on Budget and Appropriations its plans for the terminal for 2015 and the projects included in the proposed P61 million budget. This year, the CSBT has a budget of P51 million.

Restituto Dosdos, CSBT consultant, said that for January to October this year, CSBT’s income has already reached P53 million and they are positive that they can surpass P61 million. He said they can most probably reach P63 million by the end of the year.

According to the Local Government Code, the annual budget for the following year should have basis on the estimates of the income and expenditures of the recent year.

 Provincial Board Member Grecilda Sanchez, chairman of the Committee on Budget and Appropriations, asked Dosdos on more income-generating projects they plan to implement at the CSBT to support the P10 million increase they are asking for considering that the income for this year is just P798,900 more than the same period last year.

Dosdos said they are looking at converting a 2,000-square-meter lot within their property into a bed and bath service since there are a number of transient passengers who look for a place to stay for a short period of time.

Dosdos said they cannot rent out the property to the bus companies since they would not be able to develop it in case plans are already established and also, the property is currently being used to park vehicles of tenants and sometimes used when the number of passengers is too high and they need the extra space.

He added that there is also a suggestion for the space to be turned into a night market.

Sanchez was amenable to the ideas and even suggested on putting locker rooms in the area for passengers who would want to leave their things for a short time.

Dosdos said they will consider the suggestion and assured that as far as security is concerned, the CSBT is very safe and they will be adding 16 more closed circuit television cameras and two X-ray machines for two entrances. Right now, the terminal has 16 fully-operational CCTVs.

On the other hand, Sanchez asked Dosdos on how they would be able to implement the projects considering that they will only be allocated P2 million under the Annual Investment Plan as compared to this year’s P12 million.

Dosdos, nevertheless, said this would be a joint partnership with a private firm and there are already a number of groups interested in the project. He said they are hoping to come up with the blue print of the project by next month.

Meanwhile, Dosdos explained that of the P61 million proposed budget, only P29 million would be going to the CSBT and the rest would be transferred to other properties of the government like hospitals.

Provincial Treasurer Manny Guial explained that since CSBT is an income-generating property, the rest of the budget would be transferred to the general fund for the district hospitals.

Guial, in response to PB Sanchez’ query if the budget would be enough for the developments at the property, said that the proposed allocation would be sufficient for the maintenance since there are no more spaces for the CSBT to expand.

He said an expansion is much needed because the terminal is already very congested but to do so, he said an area much bigger than the current property would be needed. He also said that the expansion can go vertical in the current location where they can extend floors to the current building.

But for the long term and so that the budget would be maximized, Guial said it would be best to find another property. — (FREEMAN)