Months back, a proposal was brought up at the Davao City Council to establish three separate terminals for public utility buses (PUB) plying routes going south, north, and to the northwest. The proposal aimed to address the burgeoning traffic problem in the urban areas by decentralizing the bus terminals. However, there has been no positive development on the proposed projects, leaving the people of Davao City wondering what happened to these initiatives.
The delay in implementing the proposed terminals will only worsen the traffic situation in the city. With the single bus terminal at Ecoland in Matina, all travelers to other cities and provinces in Mindanao will be funneled into this one facility, congesting the roads leading to it. The cause of the non-implementation of these important projects is unclear, but it may be due to a lack of financial resources or the unavailability of suitable land.
The worsening traffic situation in the city will likely overtake the completion of the terminal projects, considering the slow pace of progress. It is hoped that the next City Council will prioritize the importance of terminal facilities in the north, south, and northwest of the city proper. However, there are reports that the construction of the terminals may be harmonized with the implementation of the Davao City Public Transportation Modernization Project, which may be jeopardized due to the current administration’s priorities.
The traffic situation in the city may experience a temporary easing during the school break, but it will likely resume once the schools reopen. Meanwhile, the city’s policymakers are being held accountable for the perennial flooding in low-lying areas, which is caused by the wanton destruction of the city’s terrain and the approval of spot zoning and land use exemptions for property developers. The real culprit behind the flooding problem is the land use conversion, which could have been prevented if policymakers had not prioritized socio-economic development over environmental concerns.
