Capitol to take over north bus terminal

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu Provincial Government is taking over the management of Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT).

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the Economic Enterprise Council has decided to run the terminal in partnership with SM Prime Holdings, Inc.

The soft opening of the terminal is set on October 12 while full operations will start on October 15 at its new location near the SM City Cebu in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.

A canopy and parking area will be set up temporary to accommodate the around 90 buses plying to northern Cebu towns. The terminal is expected to cater around 300 bus trips daily for the riding public.

The Capitol, however, is expecting fewer passengers compared to the pre-COVID time where there were around 5,000 passengers daily.

"The decline in the number of passengers is brought by the stringent public health protocols that are continually imposed such as the 50-percent reduction in seating capacity to maintain physical distancing," the Capitol’s Sugbo News reported.

The CNBT was originally located in the lot owned by the Mandaue city government leased to Cebu City government. It was privately managed by the bus operators. The terminal was transferred temporarily to Consolacion due to the quarantine protocols in the province.

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes earlier said the city government is no longer renewing the lease contract on the property to Cebu City which will expire next month. Since it is catering mostly the constituents of Cebu Province, the Capitol decided to take over its operation.

Cebu Province is also operating the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) along Natalio Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City as an economic enterprise. — FPL (FREEMAN)