New mall asks city for more PUJ routes

CEBU, Philippines – The state of the existing public transportation along S. Osmeña Road corner Gen. Maxilom Extension, Cebu City becomes a "critical concern" for Robinsons Land Corporation as it is set to open one of its newest malls in the country on December 10.

With this, the company management asked the Cebu City government to provide their area with more public transport for their soon-to-open mall, Robinsons Galleria Cebu.

"Currently, we have noted only nine PUJ (public utility jeepney) routes plying the immediate area, which will be grossly insufficient once mall is in full operations," Robinsons Land Corporation Regional Operations Manager Floramie Vega said in their November 4 letter to the city.

The letter is addressed to Councilor Nestor Archival, who chairs the council's committee on energy, transportation, communication, and other utilities.

Vega particularly asked the city government to include their area as a station for the incoming High Quality Public Transportation System and Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project.

HQPTS is privately operated by SM Prime Holdings, Inc. for its SM Seaside City Complex located at the South Road Properties. The mall is set to have its soft opening on November 27.

Further, Vega asked the city for additional PUJ routes since the existing routes plying in the area are not enough.

"As pointed to us by our internal security and accessibility assessment, the lack of trips in the area may pose safety and security issues as customers will need to walk longer distances to avail of a public ride. The addition of more PUV trips is highly recommended," she said.

As of this time, she said those that have direct access in the area are jeepneys with route numbers 01B, 01C, 01I, 02B, 12G, 21A, 22G, 22D, and 21D.

Other PUJ routes that pass near the area or some 200 meters away from the mall are 10M, 01K, 10H, 21B and 24A.

Vega is further asking the city's intervention to let these five PUJ routes pass their area once it opens the mall.

"This (additional public transportation) will also benefit Cebu port passengers, Quimonda building tenants which include Cebu City Hall of Justice as well as nearby offices, hotels and residential developments in the area as we have also observed them to be in a similar situation," she said.

According to Vega, most of the high-density barangays in the city do not have access to their area.

She said high-density barangays like Lahug, Capitol, Guadalupe, Talamban, and Banilad should have transportation link to the soon-to-open mall.

"With projected average daily foot traffic of 50,000 to be generated by the new businesses in the mall alone plus another approximately 6,000 work force that will be employed by said businesses, the state of the existing public transportation in the area becomes critical concern," she said.

The request will be deliberated in an executive session on November 18. The council invited representatives of Robinsons, SM Prime Holdings Inc., Cebu City Transportation Office, drivers' groups, and BRT project head manager Rafael Yap. —/NSA (FREEMAN)