Capitol summons contractor over viral filthy portalet

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is set to meet with Mister Loo officials today to set things straight concerning a photo posted online showing an illmaintained portalet at the Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT).

Sugbo News reported that the contributed photo posted in an online page “gained traction for all the wrong reasons”.

Along with the photo was a caption that calls the terminal management’s attention to keep toilets clean, especially that foreign and local tourists are also using the terminal in going to and from Cebu’s northern tourism sites.

The Capitol, however, clarified that though they are the operator of the said terminal, the Provincial Government had entered into an agreement with private firm Mister Loo Philippines on December 21, 2023 for the “development, maintenance, and operation of tech-enabled toilets in Capitol-run bus terminals,” including CNBT.

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia signed, in behalf of the province, while Mister Loo Philippines Country Manager Sarah Pante signed for the firm.

Mister Loo, accordingly, has already started working at CNBT at its own expense and with its own personnel to construct tech-enabled toilet facilities for a fee. Along with this comes the temporary installation of portalets, one of which was depicted in the photo as grossly ill-maintained.

Under the agreement, Mister Loo shall ensure cleanliness of the portalets in the interim that renovation works are being carried out and when the service-for-a-fee toilet shall have become operational. With this, the Capitol expressed to be an aggrieved party with the rest of the Cebuanos on this unfortunate negligence on the part of Mister Loo.

“The Cebu Provincial Government, operator of CNBT, is one with the public in expressing utter rage and disgust at the negligent service of a private firm that has caused this black mark on Cebu’s otherwise immaculate image as a preferred tourism destination.”

The Capitol stressed that liability lies with Mister Loo alone, as toilet maintenance in the interim renovation work is a contractual stipulation which it failed to deliver. Nevertheless, the Capitol has acted promptly to address the concern by dispatching personnel to take care of CNBT’s cleanliness while they are yet to meet with Mister Loo’s officials today.

“Gov. Gwen has scheduled a meeting with Mister Loo officials to air grievances against -- and hear the side of -- the firm so that the issue will no longer be repeated moving forward,” part of the statement from the Capitol reads. —