Free bus ride for college studes eyed

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña offers a free minibus service for college students from the mountain barangays which he hopes to start by next year.

Osmeña said that he wants to provide a bus system in the mountain barangays and the pickup station will be at the Transcentral Highway but only college students will be accommodated.

The mayor explained that the habalhabal

drivers will not lose their livelihood with the bus system because they will be the one to take the students from the narrow ways of their home to the bus station.

Meanwhile, Osmeña told telecommunication companies to put up cell sites in mountain barangays that do not have cellphone signal.

Yesterday, representatives from the different telecom companies went to the mayor’s office to discuss the project.

These companies have pending cell site permit applications with the city government.

Osmeña said that the granting of permits will remain suspended unless these telecom companies agree to put up cell sites in the upland areas first.

“There’s so many application, I think about 30 applications for cell sites in Cebu City. I said nothing will do until they do the mountain first,” said Osmeña.

He added that he would like the telecom companies to coordinate with each other to avoid duplication.

“Yeah, nisugot sila. I told them, para maka-save sila, mag-coordinate na lang sila. Adlaon will goes to Globe, Smart will go.. para walay duplication, maka-save gihapon sila,” Osmeña added.

The need for network signals is needed in mountain barangays for online transport bookings like Angkas.

Jessie Alano, director of New Projects Development Office of Globe, said that they have already identified six barangays that are considered dead spots and that they will collaborate with Smart.

“There are a lot, according to the mayor, but we only identified a couple. In all others there is a globe signal.. as suggested by the mayor that we have to collaborate with Smart on how we can do it better,” said Alano.

“I want to win the elections in the mountains. At least malipay sila nga naay signal karon, when they pick up their phone, don’t forget BOPK,” he said in jest.