Baricuatro nixes toilet fees at Cebu terminals

Local

PASSENGERS in Cebu’s provincial bus terminals will no longer need to pay to use regular comfort rooms in Cebu’s major terminals.

Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro on Monday, July 7, signed Executive Order No. 12, directing all Capitol-operated terminals, including the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT), Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT), and others, to provide free access to basic toilet facilities.

“This is one of the promises that we made to the people, and we are making good on it,” she said. “The right to basic sanitation should never come at a price.”

The measure reinforces Republic Act No. 11311, which prohibits the collection of fees for the use of regular sanitary facilities in land transportation terminals.

Under the directive, passengers may use regular CRs for free by presenting a valid same-day bus ticket. Companions sending them off are also entitled to use the facilities at no cost.

Commercial or “premium” toilet services operated by private contractors may still charge fees, but only if free, non-commercial CRs are available within the same premises.

To ensure full implementation, the governor tasked the Provincial Tourism Office and the Provincial General Services Office to inspect facilities and post visible signage informing the public of the new policy.

Terminal operators who fail to comply may face administrative sanctions and possible referral to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Baricuatro also acknowledged existing agreements with private operators that may limit immediate infrastructure changes or a return to manual ticketing.

She said her legal team is reviewing contracts with companies such as Topline and MisterLoo to determine the next steps.

“We have to look into the contract of Topline before going back to manual and before we could build a toilet there,” she said in a press conference on Monday.

“We are looking into the legalities now with MisterLoo… ASAP unta," she added.

In a related development, Baricuatro issued a separate statement disowning individuals falsely claiming to represent her in provincial terminals.

“This clarification is necessary following reports that certain individuals are falsely claiming to have been authorized by my office,” she said.

The governor emphasized that her administration has not appointed or authorized anyone to act as terminal manager or official liaison in any transport terminal under the Cebu Provincial Government.

She urged the public to verify any such claims directly with her office or the Provincial Information Office and to report any suspicious behavior.

Baricuatro reiterated her commitment to transparent and accountable governance, warning that impersonation and misrepresentation will not be tolerated under her watch.

She also called on the public to help protect the integrity of government services and to stay vigilant against those who may seek to exploit the trust given to new leadership.(MyTVCebu)