Ceres buses continue operation but…

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Ceres buses in the province continue to operate here but only until the north and south borders.

This after the Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental provincial government closed their respective borders amid the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Jade Seballos, media officer of Vallacar Transit Inc. which operates Ceres Bus Liner, said Wednesday that their operations will still continue.

But Seballos said VTI passenger buses from Negros to Manila, Cebu and Dipolog, which are ferried by roll on-roll off (Ro-Ro vessels), are suspended, after those areas were placed under “lockdown.”

“There are adjustments made due to the lockdown in certain areas,” she said.

Seballos said that in Negros Occidental Ceres, buses ply until Hinoba-an and Kabankalan in the south and San Carlos City in the north.

She said they have noticed a decline in the number of passengers because of the COVID-19 threat.

“But they will continue their services to the public unhampered,” she added.

She assured the riding public that VTI has initiated pre-emptive measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 by maintaining cleanliness in all their buses and terminals, orientation on proper hygiene, as well as distribution of face masks to all their drivers and conductors, in compliance with the orders of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Before boarding the buses, passengers are also offered alcohol for disinfection.

Earlier, the LTFRB issued a statement informing operators or any franchise holders of Certificates of Public Convenience that they cannot stop their operations without its approval.