Marcos to DOTr: Finish Cebu BRT project within target timeline, start ops in December

With the aim to recalibrate the transportation system in Metro Cebu, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to finish the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project within the intended timeline.

Marcos graced the groundbreaking ceremony of the Package I of the project, which will provide an affordable, reliable, efficient, and safe public transportation system in the province of Cebu.

"On this note, I also want to take this opportunity on the DOTr and other stakeholders to finish this project within the target completion timeline. I think if we in fact start operations [in] December, that will be the best possible Christmas gift that we can give to Cebu..." said Marcos in his message.

"Let me assure all the Filipinos that this BRT system has been planned thoroughly and studied by both the national and local government," he added.

Marcos also tasked concerned agencies "to find ways to properly relocate the affected informal settler families."

The chief executive vowed that his administration would continue to explore ways to improve the country's public transport system.

"Apart from the greater convenience that it will bring to our people, I am sure it will also provide greater opportunities and improve the conditions of our current public transport drivers," Marcos said.

"I trust it will also support economic development through travel time savings, environmental improvements, and reduction of accidents among residents and visitors of the city," he added.

Marcos further urged Cebuanos "to remain patient, to be considerate, as these temporary disturbances and interruptions are aimed at pushing long-term benefits for the city and for the province."

"As we begin this project, I know that there will be slight inconveniences and traffic congestion —as if Cebu does not have enough— but we will have to accommodate the construction process for the greater benefits that will come in the future."

For his part, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the BRT would be the first mass transit system in Cebu City and the first Bus Rapid Transit in the Philippines, noting that the P16.3 billion project will bring multiple benefits to residents of Metro Cebu.

"The 13.18-kilometer Cebu BRT will not only reduce travel time between Cebu’s north and south districts but also boost economic productivity in various communities through the efficient mobility of passengers, goods, and services," Bautista said in his speech.

"The project likewise promises to provide better job security and working conditions for the PUV drivers and reduce vehicle and pedestrian accidents," he added.

Bautista said the project is seen to be fully operational by the second quarter of 2025 and that it can accommodate as many as 160,000 passengers a day. The project is being funded by the World Bank and the French Development Agency, he added.

In 2020, the supposed snail-paced implementation of the Cebu Integrated and Intermodal Transport System was raised before senators. The DOTr then said the project was shelved in 2017 as some parts were found to not be feasible.

It was in 2018 when the project was revived for review and restructuring. —AOL/ VAL, GMA Integrated News