Mini-buses forced to use One Citilink terminal

A  ban on the loading and unloading of passengers by mini-buses at the South Bus Terminal in Cebu to decongest traffic  took effect yesterday,  drawing complaints from some bus operators.

Drivers complained that Ordinance 2214 which requires them to load and unload passengers only at One Citilink a block away would result in lower income for them and that  One Citilink has “outdated” facilities.

The ordinance was first implemented in 2008 and was recently revived.

Jolito Flores, president of  Cebu South Mini-Bus Operators Association, said  that  One Citilink management called up Citom to strictly implement the ordinance to “raise profit.”

“It’s all about money. They’re not thinking of the interest of the people,” said Flores.

He said a group of mini bus drivers and operators are appealing to Citom to stall  implementation.

But Rafael Yap, City Integrated Traffic Office Management (Citom) executive director, said the enforcement of the ordinance was an offshoot of a Citom inventory made last March.

“Whether Citilink has a problem, I think this will be brought to the legislative committee.  This ordinance was passed so we stick to this,” Yap said.

He said the ordinance would “decongest the traffic in central areas.”

Flores said One Citilink can’t accommodate all mini buses and would just inconvenience  commuters.

However, Yap said the ban won’t affect the riding public as One Citilink is just a block away from the South Bus Terminal “so access to public transportation is not an issue.”

Yap said the South Bus Termnal is “not closed” to  mini buses; drivers are just not allowed to unload and load passengers there.

“There’s a very careful distinction. The mini-buses  can only reach citilink,” Yap said. /Tweeny M. Malinao, Correspondent