GENERAL SANTOS CITY(January 20) — The reelection of key directors across Yanson Group’s Mindanao transport subsidiaries signals a renewed push to strengthen public mobility at a time when trade corridors across the island are becoming increasingly vital to regional growth.
Yanson Group chairman and president Leo Rey Yanson said public transportation remains a critical enabler of development, linking labor, markets, and supply chains across geographically dispersed communities.
“Public transport is the backbone of regional growth,” Yanson said, noting that the efficient movement of people and goods allows local economies to expand and integrate.
Central Mindanao routes anchor agri-trade flows
During the annual shareholders’ meeting of Mindanao Star Bus Transit Inc., Yanson was reelected as chairman and president. The company reiterated its focus on sustaining economic activity in Central Mindanao through safe, affordable, and reliable transport services.
Mindanao Star Bus Transit operates major routes across the Soccsksargen region—covering South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato, Sarangani, and General Santos City—an area widely regarded as the country’s tuna capital and a major producer of corn, pineapple, and livestock.
Efficient bus connectivity in Soccsksargen supports daily worker mobility while also complementing logistics flows linking farms, ports, processing facilities, and urban markets. Transport operators play a key role in bridging gaps where rail systems are absent and air travel remains costly for most commuters.
Shareholders also reelected Olivia Yanson, Ginnette Dumancas, Charles Dumancas, Arvin John Villaruel, and Rey Ardo as directors. The board subsequently reappointed Olivia Yanson as corporate secretary and treasurer.
At Bachelor Express Inc., stockholders reelected a broad slate of directors, including Leo Rey Yanson and Olivia Yanson, alongside independent and long-serving board members. Leo Rey Yanson was reappointed president and chief executive officer, while Olivia Yanson retained her roles as treasurer and corporate secretary.
Bachelor Express manages an intercity network linking Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Davao, Surigao, Malaybalay, Valencia, and Tagum—cities that anchor Mindanao’s northern, eastern, and southern growth corridors.
These routes align with key trade arteries connecting seaports, agri-industrial zones, and commercial hubs. In Northern Mindanao, transport links support manufacturing and port activity in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. In Eastern Mindanao, routes facilitate movement tied to mining, agriculture, and inter-island shipping. Southern corridors connect Davao and General Santos to export-oriented agribusiness and fisheries.
As Mindanao positions itself as a logistics and food-production hub for the Visayas and Luzon, dependable land transport remains essential for workforce access, regional tourism, and small-business activity.
Scale, stability, and long-term play
Both Mindanao Star Bus Transit and Bachelor Express are affiliates of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies, a Bacolod City–based transport conglomerate considered among the largest land transport operators in Southeast Asia. The group employs more than 18,000 workers nationwide.
Industry observers note that board continuity in large transport firms often signals a long-term strategy focused on fleet modernization, route optimization, and regulatory engagement—critical as fuel costs fluctuate and infrastructure projects reshape travel patterns.
For Mindanao, where road transport remains the dominant mode of mobility, the stability of major bus operators is closely tied to the island’s broader ambitions for inclusive growth and deeper integration into national and regional trade networks.
