Tulfo describes Cebu's buses as 'running coffins'

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CEBU CITY — In a surprise inspection at the Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) on April 4, Sen. Raffy Tulfo slammed the state of public transport in the province, calling out the terminal's operator, contractor, and regulators over a long list of safety violations and passenger inconvenience.

Tulfo even described the buses in Cebu as "ataol na tumatakbo" or running coffins.

The inspection, uploaded to the senator's official TikTok page four days later, revealed what Tulfo described as a clear case of negligence and disregard for public safety.

THEY DESERVE BETTER Passengers line up at the ticketing counter of the Cebu North Bus Terminal, awaiting their turn to secure tickets for their journey. The terminal, which has faced scrutiny over its services, continues to serve as a major transport hub in the province. PHOTO BY KAISER JAN FUENTES

Buses at CNBT, Tulfo said, were still allowed to operate despite being riddled with defects.

Among the most glaring violations were expired or missing fire extinguishers, bald and retreaded tires, worn-out seat cushions, unsafe modifications to clutch pedals tied with rubber, non-functional CCTV systems and a lack of mandatory emergency tools like glass breakers.

Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, said that these vehicles posed serious risks to lives of commuters.

He pointed out that passengers are paying the correct fare but receiving substandard and unsafe service in return.

In one instance, he said that the mechanical condition of a bus was so poor, it might as well have been a moving casket and a disaster waiting to happen.

The senator did not stop at the condition of the buses.

Inside the terminal, Tulfo found other signs of poor management.

Fans installed for passenger comfort were switched off while terminal staff enjoyed air-conditioned offices. He also discovered that CNBT had only two baggage pushcarts, one broken and the other barely usable.

Terminal supervisor Carmen Quijano, who joined Tulfo during the inspection, admitted that she had already raised these issues to Topline, the private contractor overseeing CNBT's ticketing and management.

She said additional carts had been requested but they have not yet arrived.

Tulfo, however, rejected the excuses.

He told Quijano to issue a formal warning to the contractor or initiate termination of their contract if the problems persisted.

He insisted that it was unacceptable for passengers to endure poor service while basic operational requirements remained unmet.

He also raised the alarm over the absence of metal detectors and proper inspection protocols at the terminal.

He noted that without sufficient security measures, passengers carrying bladed weapons or firearms could easily board a public bus undetected.

He cited incidents in Metro Manila involving shootings inside moving buses as examples of what could happen if such lapses were ignored.

CNBT, located within the SM City Cebu compound in Barangay Mabolo, is owned and operated by the Cebu provincial government.

It is one of two provincial bus terminals under its jurisdiction, the other being the Cebu South Bus Terminal on N. Bacalso Avenue.

Beyond facility and vehicle issues, Tulfo also took aim at the lack of enforcement against "colorum" vans, unregistered or unauthorized public transport vehicles that operate outside the terminal.

He pointed out that this undermined the business of operators complying with the rules and paying terminal charges, further weakening the system's integrity.

The senator then brought his findings directly to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Central Visayas (LTFRB-7), where he confronted Edwin Antepuesto, the agency's officer in charge.

Tulfo criticized LTFRB-7 for failing to conduct regular monitoring and vehicle inspections.

Antepuesto admitted the last inspection was conducted the previous year and that the next one was scheduled before the Holy Week, between April 13 and 20.

Unimpressed, Tulfo stressed the importance of routine and unannounced inspections to ensure compliance and public safety.

He warned Antepuesto that continued inaction could lead to a Senate summons.

Tulfo also suggested the implementation of regular vehicle inspections and mandatory drug testing for drivers as a long-term solution, adding that failure to act might prompt him to recommend personnel changes at the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

The senator also inspected the airport and seaport in Cebu where he also flagged some lapses in security and management.