“I will not close the [Cebu] South Bus Terminal. Dili ni under sa city, under ni sa province.”
This was what Gov. Gwen Garcia said during a coordination meeting attended by LTFRB 7 director Eduardo Montealto Jr. and traffic managers of southern Cebu LGUs on Thursday, January 18, at the Capitol Social Hall.
Governor Garcia was reacting to an information shared by Jonathan Tumulak of City of Talisay – Traffic Operations and Development Authority (CT-TODA) which says that the Cebu City Government is looking to close the CSBT for two days, on Saturday and Sunday, during the Sinulog weekend.
Tumulak added that Cebu City is considering to temporarily transfer the bus terminal to a vacant lot at the South Road Properties (SRP), which the governor again vehemently opposed, since this would cause unimaginable congestion in the area.
“Closing the [CSBT] is not the answer to traffic congestion on Natalio Bacalso [Ave.]. Kon diha ra kutob ilang gihuna-huna, sorry pero mas layo ang atong gihuna-huna,” she said, adding that it would be her constituents who would be coming over for the Sinulog who would bear the burden.
Instead, the governor discouraged the public from bringing private vehicles during the Sinulog. She will also ban prime movers and big delivery trucks from passing through N. Bacalso starting 12:01 AM of January 21 until 12:01 AM the following day.
“For as long as I’m Governor, ang akong pangitaon nga di mahasol ang ordinaryo nga mga Sugbuanon,” Gov. Garcia said.
The governor also negotiated with Vallacar Transit, operator of Ceres buses, for the use of their property in Kinasang-an, Pardo as an alternative terminal to compliment the capacity of CSBT.
“Di nato pabug-atan ang mga Sugbuanon, labi na nga ang klarong manga-igo ani ang akong constituents. Kon ‘No Entry’ na, ako mismo diha ang mopaabli ana,” she said.
And since Talisay City will be transporting people from their side to the SRP and vice versa, the governor suggested that Talisay City Fish Port and an international port nearby be used as parking space in order to clear the road of parked private vehicles.
NEW PROCESSION ROUTES
Gov. Garcia also objected to the new route of the solemn procession on Saturday, January 20, which was released by the city government, as it will pass by the CSBT on N. Bacalso Ave., as well as the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center on B. Rodriguez St.
From the Basilica, the procession will proceed to Osmeña Blvd and then turn left to Jakosalem St.; right turn to Magallanes St., straight to Borromeo St., right turn to Leon Kilat St., left turn to N. Bacalso Ave., right turn to V. Rama Ave., right turn to B. Rodriguez St., right turn to Osmeña Blvd, and straight to the Basilica.
The new procession route, the governor said, will cause additional congestion in front of CSBT as well as undue inconvenience on VSMMC, especially that the hospital is the primary receiver of emergencies from the province and nearby LGUs.
“The impact of this is detrimental not only to the riding public but also to those who may have emergency cases that need to immediately go to Vicente Sotto,” Gov. Garcia said. | Mary Ann Malaya