Cebu Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale yesterday led the inspection of the airport, bus terminals, and major seaports as thousands of people joined the exodus from the metropolis to the provinces for the Holy Week holidays.
Magpale first went to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) before proceeding to the North Bus Terminal in Mandaue City, the piers of Cebu City and the South Bus Terminal.
She was accompanied by Ahmed Cuizon, director of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7), officials of the Land Transportation Office, and the MCIA.
In an interview, Magpale said there were no reported hitches in terminals and piers.
“So far, the preparations of our government agencies are alright,” she said.
Apart from visiting terminal lounges, the acting governor also inspected the toilets of the terminals and seaports.
Magpale had lunch in one of the canteens of the South Bus Terminal.
Some passengers complained to Magpale that tickets of sea vessels were running out.
But the passengers, according to the acting governor, were willing to wait for any available sea vessel just to go home.
Meanwhile, in the North Bus Terminal (NBT) which is noted for rowdy crowds of passengers eager to go home, authorities started issuing priority numbers to passengers.
The management of the NBT started issuing passenger priority numbers for those taking buses bound for Kawit/Daanbantayan, Bogo/Hagnaya, Maya/Bagay and Lambosan. These routes have the most number of passengers.
The issuance of priority tickets started at 4 p.m. yesterday..
According to Zosimo Jumao-as Jr., NBT manager, the use of priority numbers may last until noon today or until the volume of passengers wane.
Aside from orderly bus loading, the priority number also served to control the number of passengers a bus can accomodate.
“It also prevents overloading of buses,” Jumao-as said.
The security guards in the entrance gate of the North Bus Terminal were also inspecting the bags of the passengers accompanied by police.
Sniffer dogs and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) policemen also augmented security in the terminal.