Pushed to collect more revenue: accreditation of terminals

CEBU, Philippines —  With informal terminals sprouting everywhere depriving the Cebu City government of much needed revenue, Councilor Rey Gealon is pushing for the reactivation of the terminal accreditation committee.

In a proposed resolution, Gealon said that illegal terminals have caused chaos and confusion to the people. Since the city has no control over these terminals, the local government is deprived of a possible income.

Gealon has observed that since the city’s easing up of health protocols, more public utility jeepneys (PUJs) have returned on the streets and used any space they could get as terminals.

"Pag-open nato balik after Covid ang mga PUJ namalik na sad, bisa’g asa nalang basta naay tapok mga pasahero himoong terminal," said Gealon, adding that this has caused more traffic congestion in the city.

"Maong nisamot ka trapik kay bisa’g asa hunong ang jeep, unya hapit kada eskina hunongan maong barado ang traffic flow."

Gealon said, reactivating the terminal accreditation committee would enable the city government to collect revenue from these informal terminals. He hopes to get the support of his fellow councilors to “urge the Office of the Mayor for the reactivation of the Terminal Accreditation Committee as there are informal terminals sprouting everywhere with no requirement whatsoever pursuant to the Terminal Accreditation Committee Ordinance”.

He explained that under the ordinance, the terminal accreditation committee is under the mayor’s office. Gealon noted that the committee was deactivated at the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paul Gotiong, Cebu City Transportation Office’s mass transport division head, said he supports the proposal.

"Yes I support it. I think the Terminal Accreditation Committee has been there before. I do not know why it was stopped,” Gotiong said.

Gotiong said that illegal terminals promote colurum activities which the government must address the soonest.

"Illegal terminals promote colorum activities also," Gotiong said.- Sanden Anadia (CEBU NEWS)