DCOTT readies for passenger influx this Lenten season

The Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) is preparing to receive around 100,000 passengers during the Holy Week.

“I am expecting the influx of passengers for Holy Week considering na taas-taas ang bakasyon and wala na kaayo’y restrictions dinha sa atong terminal. Sa kadugayon pud na wala kaayo naka-celebrate og Holy Week so I’m expecting na manguli gyud ni sila sa ilang probinsya (I am expecting the influx of passengers for Holy Week considering the long holiday and the suspension of restrictions in DCOTT. And for the last few years that people were unable to observe the Holy Week, I am expecting that a lot of them will be going home to their provinces),” DCOTT manager Aisa Usop said during the AFP-PNP media forum on Wednesday.

To meet the stream of passengers this Lenten season, the DCOTT management will be increasing the daily average number of bus trips from 700 to 800 (equating to 40,000 to 50,000 passengers) to 1,500 trips (which can carry around 80,000 to 100,000 passengers).

The 30-minute interval required in between departing buses of the same route will also be suspended to hasten the waiting time of passengers, Usop said.

Shuttles will be allowed to leave the terminal as soon as all seats are filled.

Usop said the terminal’s security has also been heightened, while coordinating conferences between concerned agencies and the city’s safety and security cluster have been conducted this month.

Personnel from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Public Safety and Security Office, and other force multipliers will be augmenting the security detail of the terminal during the Holy Week.

“Grabe ang atoang tutok karon sa atoang seguridad dinha sa atong DCOTT terminal. Gipa-ayos pud nato atong coordination with our bus operators para mapasakay gyud nato ang atong mga pasahero (We have heightened our security in our terminal. We have also improved coordination with our bus operators to ensure that we are able to ferry all our passengers),” Usop said.

The DCOTT manager reminded everyone that the DCOTT board resolution prohibiting the loading and unloading of passengers in bus stops outside of DCOTT is still in full effect. She warned that bus drivers in violation of the resolution will be apprehended as the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) and other traffic enforcement units have been given directive to apprehend violators.

Major Eudisan Gultiano, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office, said the resolution– which was passed enacted last year –has effectively minimized the risk of any security threat entering and spreading within the Davao Region. She also urged all bus operators, drivers and passengers to abide by the resolution.

“Kahit na we are safe and secure here sa Davao, we are not complacent. We don’t want ‘yong mga incidents ng bombing na nangyari sa neighboring regions natin (the bombing incidents in our neighboring regions) to happen in Davao Region. That is why we very much agree with the board resolution,” Gultiano said. CIO