Cops warn travelers against scalpers

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is warning the public against scalpers and other scammers who will take advantage of people observing the long weekend due to the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

CCPO chief, Police Colonel Antonietto Cañete, issued the warning following feedback from the Cebu Port Authority concerning scammers who take advantage of the influx of passengers during All Saints’ Day and All Soul’s Day.

The City PIO reported that scalpers purchase boat tickets in bulk and sell them at a much higher price to travelers who are set to go home to their respective provinces in time for the long weekend.

Cañete advises those who are victimized by these scalpers to immediately report such incidents to proper authorities.

Cañete said he will also be deploying personnel from the CCPO to monitor the presence of these scalpers.

In a related development, City Councilor Joel Garganera has also instructed the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to go after taxi drivers who will take advantage of the occasion and ask for a padded rate than the usual meter flag down or demand fix rates depending on the place of destination.

The riding public is also being advised to report taxi drivers and the likes if such incident will happen.

Meanwhile, with more passengers expected to travel today to make it to their hometowns in time for All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day, the Capitol, with other line agencies have prepped both the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) and Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT).

With at least 20,000 daily influx of passengers at the CSBT alone on peak days during Kalag-Kalag, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7) assured there’s enough buses to ferry passengers who will go home to their respective towns and cities in the province.

In a coordination meeting with Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia and other line agencies last Oct. 29, 2024, LTFRB-7 director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said there are 587 operational buses at CSBT and another 409 buses for CNBT.

“These numbers are enough for the passengers,” Montealto said, as per Sugbo News.

Additionally, 50 buses were given special permits by LTFRB for extended routes going to Negros Island for those passengers from neighboring provinces.

Rodenita Esgana, the chief of operations for both CNBT and CSBT said they are expecting 20,000 to 25,000 passengers per day starting today to November at the CSBT, while 7,000 to 9,000 passengers are also expected to flock to the north bus during the same period.

Management of both capitol-run terminals is already preparing for the influx of passengers from the security aspect to the ticketing system where the Capitol has already tapped Topline to set up additional booths and deploy a mobile ticketing system. — /ATO (FREEMAN)