Bus, taxi operators seek audit of South Bus terminal income

Bus and taxi operators called on the Capitol over the weekend to conduct an audit of the South Bus Terminal revenue since 2010 up to the present.

“We want an audit of the South Bus Terminal revenue to see where the income is going since we are also taxpayers and stakeholders of the terminal,” said Julito Flores, president of the Cebu South Mini-Bus Operators Association in Cebuano.

The Cebu South Bus Terminal is one of several income generating projects of the Capitol, collecting revenue from parking fees paid by buses, mini-buses, taxis and private vehicles dropping off passengers.

Under a revised scheme, the terminal parking fee was reduced from P200 to 150 while the parking fee stays at P100.

A P20 parking fee is charged to every taxi with an additional P10 for every boarding passenger.

Terminal revenue officer Carmen Quijano said the terminal collected nearly P20 million from January to last month.

She said they are earning P126,000 daily from parking fees of buses and P8,000 from taxi parking fees.

“There’s no problem with us because we’re not doing anything illegal. Revenue generated by the terminal is deposited in a special account for the terminal,” she told reporters in last Friday’s press conference.

“In every transaction, the Provincial Treasurer and the Provincial Administrator would sign the documents for depositing the revenue in the terminal special account,” Quijano added.

A statement of income and expenses for the period ending Nov. 30 last year showed that about P130,000 of the terminal revenue was deposited in the Capitol’s General Fund account instead of the terminal’s special account.

“The process is that the day’s revenue would be deposited daily in the terminal’s special account in a depository bank and it is the Provincial Treasurer and the Provincial Administrator that knows about this,” Quijano said.

She said the records of these officials will show whether there were any irregularities committed.

Acting Gov.  Agnes Magpale said she heard about reports of alleged irregularities in the terminal revenue during a financial meeting with terminal officials.

“I agree that a special audit should be done to ensure transparency about the terminal’s financial status. The revenue is intended to cover the expenses and cost of maintenance of the terminal including the air-conditioning units,” she said.