Agora bus terminal, CDO
I really don’t know why the Agora bus terminal in the city of Cagayan de Oro always fascinates me. Its a modest strip of land just beside the Agora market in the often chaotic part that is just near the pier.
It is bisected by a short two lane road where the buses come and go. On each side is the covered bus bays, housing eateries, turo turo style, side by side with regular pasalubong stalls and a few ticket booths. In between these stalls are dilapidated red plastic seats on an iron frame with some of these seats already missing. Here passengers and sometimes their luggage takes up the available space.
Just near the entrance, left side, are the yellow buses of established Bachelor Express bound for Butuan and Surigao. A few steps away are the red buses of Rural Transit bound for Bukidnon, Tacurong and Davao. Trips can be as long as 1.5 hours to 6 hours for both routes and can either be airconditioned or not, non-stop (usually overnight trips) or with frequent stops.
At the right side of the entrance are the small non airconditioned buses of Bagong Lipunan Transit and Lucy which are bound for Gingoog City. The ticket fare is cheaper compared to the bigger bus companies. The buses bound for the western part like Iligan, Pagadian, Dipolog and the rest of the Zamboanga Peninsula used to be here but when the Bulua bus terminal was operational, these companies transferred there.
Now, its less chaotic than before.
Estan Cabigas is a multiawarded blogger, freelance photographer and writer based in Makati City, the Philippines. A true blue Cebuano, he makes stunning images and meaningful photo stories. He has contributed to local and international publications including CNN Go, National Geographic Magazine, Geo (Germany), Sunday Times Magazine (London) and other publications.To know more about him and his photography, visit estancabigas.com.
Pingback: Love notes on the road, part 2 of 2 | langyaw