BACOLOD City – This city plans to establish a new terminal for public utility vehicles (PUVs) plying the southern portion of Negros Island to lessen congestion.
There is an existing Bacolod South Terminal on Lopez Jaena Street, Barangay 30. However, southbound PUVs and some eastbound PUVs use part of the Libertad Market as passenger pick-up and waiting areas.
The city government is looking for about seven hectares of land in Barangay Sum-ag for the new terminal.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the property must be viable for the transportation operators, adding that the construction of the new terminal is open to a public-private partnership.
Southbound PUVs include routes going to Barangay Ma-ao in Bago City; the municipality of Hinoba-an; the cities of Sipalay, Kabankalan and La Carlota in Negros Occidental; the cities of Canla-on and Bayawan in Negros Oriental; Cebu; and Zamboanga.
In 2019, 8.8 hectares of land in Barangay Alijis was donated by Vallacar Transit, Inc., Yanson Realty Development Corp. and Olivia V. Yanson to the city government for a South Public Terminal, Museum and Coliseum, and road networks.
When asked what would happen to the donated lot in Barangay Alijis, Benitez said, “Damu man kita sang mahimo dira.”/PN
