SAFE TRAVELS. Davao City Overland Transport Terminal Head Aiza Yusoph said the city’s bus terminal is now ready for the influx of passengers during Holy Week. In a press conference on Wednesday, April 5, Yusoph revealed that 20 units of CCTV cameras are now monitoring the terminal in Ecoland, Davao City. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Davao City Overland Transport Terminal is now ready for the expected influx of travelers this coming Holy Week, an official of the terminal said.
In a press conference on Wednesday, DCOTT Head Aiza Yusoph said 20 closed circuit television cameras are now monitoring the terminal, as well as three K-9 dogs, in addition to police and Task Force Davao personnel.
On regular days, Yusoph said buses in the DCOTT ply about 650 to 750 trips a day, catering to 30,000 to 35,000 passengers. This Holy Week they are expecting to cater to about 50,000 passengers traveling 800 to 1,000 trips.
Yusoph said she met with terminal porters and peddlers to enlist their help in securing the place.
“If they suspect anything, they have to coordinate with the men in uniform. We have the PNP and the TF Davao there,” Yusoph said.
Meanwhile, Yusoph said they cannot control the drivers who will be picking up passengers along the highway, saying this will now be falling under the responsibility of the police. Yusoph however, said some buses are already equipped with their own closed-circuit television cameras.
Yusoph also announced that all bus lines in the DCOTT will be supplying buses throughout the Holy Week, except the Yellow Bus and Metro Shuttle lines which will not be operating during Good Friday.
Yusoph said the buses will do away with the 15 to 30 minute interval, saying these will be departing as soon as they are full to accommodate the influx of passengers.
Yusoph said they are also already coordinated with the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board who will be conducting road worthiness checks sometime this week.
Meanwhile, Yusoph also announced that the modernization plans of the DCOTT are now underway. Yusoph said they are planning to build a perimeter fence surrounding the 1.7 hectare terminal.
Yusoph said there is already a proposed design of the stalls and stands inside the terminal supplied by the City Planning Office but declined to give any formalized details.(davaotoday.com)
