GMA's dev't goal omits Cebu railway proposal

Cebu province may have to shelve temporarily its proposed railway system project following a disclosure of a Malacañang economic official to the Provincial Board yesterday that it was scrapped from the medium-term development goal of President Gloria Arroyo.

National Economic and Development Authority official Sandra Manuel briefed the PB on Arroyo's six-year (2004-2010) development goal for the region saying the railway system plan was not part of it.

Manuel talked instead on transportation, tourism, agricultural, and industrial projects, among others, for the provinces of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Bohol, and Cebu.

PB member Victor Maambong reacted when he noticed that Manuel did not mention the Light Railway Transit proposal supposedly from Tabunok, Talisay City to Danao City.

"We would like to know whether this is still in the drawing board or not, since this is a very helpful project that would ease traffic and be of convenience to workers travelling from the north," Maambong told Manuel.

Manuel said there had been in the past a feasibility study on the project but it was found out that local governments were vague on their participation and willingness to put up counterpart funds.

Manuel told the PB that there were doubts on whether the project would be self-liquidating considering that a railway system is for the masses. "The fare will be low with problems of increasing it later, and the system would even be subsidized," she said.

This railway plan was first introduced by Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas, who has long fought and insisted to NEDA that it would be included among the country's foreign-funded projects.

On October 6, 2004, NEDA wrote Visayas presidential assistant Felix Guanzon informing the need to update the feasibility study and funding arrangements based on the conditions of project implementation.