North bus terminal ready for big crowd

POLICE visibility, signages and more chairs are needed at the Cebu North Bus Terminal in Mandaue City when peak passenger traffic is expected for next week’s All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day celebrations.

At least 20, 000 people  are expected to pass through the terminal in Subangdaku in Mandaue City on October 31 and Nov 1 alone, said Zosimo Jumao-as Jr., terminal manager in a meeting of the Cebu North Bus Terminal advisory board last Tuesday.

The terminal, the gateway to towns and cities in north Cebu, handles 15, 000 to 16, 000 people a month on normal days.

“We need police visibility to guide the public on how to properly board the buses,” said Eugene Elizalde, head of the city’s Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC), who asked for one policeman to be assigned in every bus.

However, Supt. Franco Oriol, head of the Subangdaku police station, said there were not enough men for that. He said 20 policemen will secure the terminal from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 reinforced by SWAT and anti-drug enforcers with two sniffing dogs.

“Our purpose of providing security would be set aside if we focus on guiding passengers,” he said. The board agreed to tap police interns and tanods.

Four billiards tables will also be removed to enlarge the waiting area for passengers. Monobloc chairs  and railings will be added.

Other terminal improvements are being studied by consultants. Only two thirds of the the 9, 000 sq. meter terminal area is being used leaving 3, 000 sq. meter for any expansion plans, reported Avelino Corona representing Engr. Pedro Adonis Compendio of SPACES.

The Mandaue city government owns the terminal which is used by 112 Ceres buses, 34 Rough Riders buses and 19 Autobuses. The terminal, built with a Japanese loan as part of the Metro Cebu Development Projects, is operated through a management contract by the Cebu City government.

Cebu City administrator Jose Marie Poblete, the NBT advisory board chairman, asked consultants to closely monitor the terminal when the peak crowd shows up Oct. 30 to Nov. 2./CHIEF OF REPORTERS DORIS C. BONGCAC