Groups oppose privatization

TRANSPORT leaders yesterday said they are strongly opposing the move of the Cebu Provincial Government to privatize the Cebu South Bus Terminal because it will convert the facility from “service-oriented” to “profit-oriented” and will hurt the poor people from the towns.

Julito Flores, president of the Cebu South Mini Bus Operators Association (CSMBOA), and Richard Corominas, president of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association (CPBOA), said “privatization is dangerous to public interest” and is tantamount to giving up public service on the part of Capitol officials.

Flores said those who are sitting in the Capitol’s Economic Enterprise Council (ECC) were lying when they recommended the privatization of the terminal because it is losing money. In recent years, they reported millions of pesos in profit.

Corominas said the ECC must show to the public audited financial reports for three years before saying that the terminal is a losing venture.

Mismanagement

The transport leaders said the terminal’s revenue consistently increased during the past administration, hence, reporting losses this time will also mean mismanagement of the present administration.

“So what if they are losing on terminal operation? They are for public service, not for profit, aren’t they? Corominas said.

Corominas said that once privatized, the private firm will collect huge fees from stakeholders and the riding public to recover investment.

The transport leaders said it is possible that influential people want to make business out of the terminal under the publicprivate partnership (PPP) scheme.

They said it would be unfortunate if Davide and other Capitol officials will succumb to privatization, which is anti-people.

“Granting the terminal is a losing venture under them, why worry when this terminal was built for public service and not for profit?” Corominas said.

Flores and Corominas said that if Capitol is really determined to give up the terminal to the private sector, CSMBOA and CPBOA are willing to form a cooperative to be composed of all stakeholders and manage it so public service will continue.

Limits

Romeo Armamento, president of the Alyansa sa Nagkahiusang Drivers Alang sa Reporma (Andar), said they also oppose the privatization of the terminal to maintain pure public service.

Ramie Inopiquez and Julian Libato of Panaghugpong Kadamay Sugbo said privatization will badly affect the people from the provinces who are coming to the city for school, work and business.

Chairman Benjamin Ryan Yu of the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative (Citrasco) said Capitol should properly define the limits of the PPP so the people will not suffer later on.