DOTr takes first steps in building Cebu subway

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has committed to construct a 67.5-kilometer subway in Cebu, and will proceed with the development of a demand study to kick off the project.

In a radio interview, Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said the DOTr is going full speed in its plan to build an underground rail between the cities of Danao and Carcar in Cebu.

The DOTr will develop a ridership study that would determine how many passengers the subway can serve in a day.

Afterward, Batan said the DOTr would proceed with the conduct of a feasibility study to identify the specifics of the project. In particular, the study will compute how much is needed to deliver the subway, as well as the division of tasks between the DOTr and the provincial government of Cebu.

“Now this plan would have to undergo a feasibility study. One of the directions we are taking is to involve the provincial government of Cebu to ensure that the subway responds to the needs of Cebuanos,” Batan said.

Under the initial design, the subway will span 67.5 kilometers, between Danao City in the north and Carcar City in the south.

If pursued as is, the railway will run double the length of the 33-kilometer Metro Manila Subway Project, which is under construction through funding from Japan.

Originally, the DOTr was thinking of establishing an elevated rail in Cebu, but that would prove to be challenging given how narrow the roads are in the province.

Batan said pushing for an elevated railway in Cebu would mean building it on a curvy alignment. Railways, as much as possible, try to avoid curvatures on tracks to prevent the train from slowing down.

“It (elevated rail) can be done, but it will be challenging. The service might be bumpy and there will be sharp curves in the alignment of the railway,” Batan said.

Prior to this, the DOTr has received a P79.61 billion proposal from the Udenna Group of Davao tycoon Dennis Uy to put up a 27-kilometer monorail in Cebu.