Conflicting opinions only worsen Cebu traffic woes

CEBU, Philippines — While commuters have been lamenting on Cebu’s worsening traffic problem and businesses worrying on its impact on productivity, it looks like Cebu’s traffic woes will get even worse with the conflicting opinions of government officials.

Businessman Philip Tan, former president of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), said Cebu’s traffic woes will get even worse unless an efficient solution like a mass transport system is immediately implemented to cushion the impact of traffic on both commuters and businesses.

He lamented about the disparity of stands among local political leaders on what mode of mass transport is right for Metro Cebu.

Tan was referring to the heated debate on whether the bus rapid transit (BRT) system should be implemented in Cebu or not.

Critics to the project, highly pushed by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, have said the BRT will not work in Cebu because of its narrow roads and instead have pushed to build a light rail transit (LRT) system.

"Cebu has suffered much and will continue to suffer further if our political leaders will not act together," Tan told The FREEMAN in a phone interview yesterday.

While Tan did not particularly mention whether he's supporting for BRT or not, the business leader said whatever has been decided and approved should just be implemented as soon as possible.

"Whatever maybe decided upon, can we just start it as soon as possible," he said. "Whatever, just do it."

"The worst thing in life is not having failed but doing nothing just because we want perfection," Tan asserted.

He believes both proponents of the BRT and LRT projects have upsides and downsides.

Yesterday at the Philippine Economic Briefing in Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia asserted the BRT project will push through as a short-term solution to Cebu's traffic problem.

He said the implementation of LRT will take years as the pre and full feasibility studies will still have to be submitted to NEDA and other government agencies for review.

He said NEDA-ICC officials will convene to discuss the BRT implementation and other projects on April 25.

Earlier, Cebu Business Club president Gordon Alan Joseph urged proponents of the BRT to act and respond to the technical issues that hound the project.

"For the BRT to succeed, these issues that have been raised about the utility of the project need to be addressed for the good of all stakeholders," he said. (FREEMAN)