Local News: Talisay City Stakeholders to Mount Paralyzing Action to Force Hand of City Government on Terminal Issue

Almost all stakeholders in Talisay City, consisting of 90 percent of the population, and which includes the main characters including operators, drivers, women, students and youths, urban poor, the middle class, workers and farmers and almost all commuters, have started flexing their muscles to mount an all-out campaign to force the hand of the city government to now allow them to proceed to the Bacolod Shopping Center, and not to stay put in the bus and jeepney terminal in Mandalagan-Pepsi area.

While in the terminal, drivers have to wait for passengers who would still be ferried by transport to the terminal where they will board the passenger jeepneys which ply the Talisay City-Bacolod City route and which would place them in a lot of hassles.

Earlier, Ma. Elena Lazarte, a village leader of Talisay City and head of the Consumers’ Alliance in Negros (CANE) and several stakeholders, including operators and drivers, women and village council members, including the head of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) related to difficulties they have to undergo if the passenger jeepneys stop only in the terminal and not proceed to Bacolod City. Among their complaints was that students and passengers now pay double once they take double ride, and they can ill afford the additional charges especially students whose parents merely budget their expenses.

With the increased fare, cost charges, passengers thin out resulting in drivers earning only half of what they earn on the average which is from more than P250 to P300 in a day. Now, they can earn only half of that.

The terminal is also ill-equipped and the passengers have to endure the elements when it rains. There are also several accidents now taking place in the terminal area, and with a dearth of security guards, snatching have taken place.

The rough-hewn terminal which is not cemented nor asphalted also has resulted in soles and heels of shoes breaking off.

There are a lot of difficulties, too, endured by passengers many of whom transact business in Bacolod City.

The stakeholders led by Lazarte have already filed a petition with the City Council. They also had a radio interview last Sunday in “Tungkaron Ta Ini” in radio station, DYRL and a press conference Monday, January 30.

Other actions include a lot of other activities which will culminate in an Untat-Biyahe weeks after and a caravan in Bacolod. Lazarte said the matter is of utmost importance for the stakeholders so much so that it will only end if the city government relents and grants their major demands.

The stakeholders also bared the fact they have to pay P10 or P18 everytime they park in the terminal. The private concessionaire Crispin Chua gets millions of pesos monthly, while the City Government does not earn anything.*