The Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) reported an increase of over P1 million in monthly revenues for the first quarter of 2022 from that of last year, marking a substantial recovery for the DCOTT’s income from the sharp dive it recorded in 2020 and 2021.
During the Madayaw Davao program aired over the Davao City Disaster Radio, DCOTT manager Aisa Usop said that the city’s bus transit system recorded an income of P3,532,742 for January 2022, which is over a million pesos more than the P2,493,427 recorded for the same month in 2021. The same trend was observed in the succeeding months of the first quarter of 2022.
However, according to Usop, these numbers remain short of the revenues recorded before the pandemic. She said, “Naay pag increase when it comes to figures na more than 1 million every month, but of course kung i-compare pud nato sa atong pre-pandemic pa, mas taas pa gyud, wala pa gyud na na-reach.” (There is an increase when it comes to figures with over 1 million every month, but if we compare these to pre-pandemic numbers, of course it’s not quite there yet.)
Just before the pandemic hit in 2019, the DCOTT recorded its highest revenue of over P70 million. The DCOTT manager expressed hope that, though the total annual revenue for 2022 is not likely to equate with pre-pandemic figures, it may still surpass that of last year. Revenue from 2021 was at over 32 million pesos, which is considerably more than the recorded 23 million pesos in 2020.
“Hopefully for this year, year 2022, kung dili man nato mareach ang 70 million, mutaas pa gyud siya no more than 32 million, the income that we had last year.” (Hopefully, for this year, 2022, if revenues do not hit 70 million, it can still exceed 32 million, the income that we had last year.)
The DCOTT has resumed regular bus terminal operations with more than 600 bus trips every day. It continues to remind Dabawenyos that the minimum public health standards remain strictly observed. CIO.
