Ex-Bogota mayor: BRT system to transform Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogota in Colombia, once again awed the infrastructure stakeholders on his country’s experience in adopting the Bus Rapid Transit System, it being the safest and most efficient transport system for his constituents and for the benefit of the environment.

Peñalosa, in yesterday’s coordination conference of all BRT-related studies, told the participants that Cebu City’s BRT “will transform Cebu”.

“It needs political will, a lot of enforcement of imminent domain, and investments of not less than $10 million for every kilometer to solve mobility and to have roads that are safe for children, the elderly and the poor,” Peñalosa said.

The participants include representatives from the Department of Transportation and Communications led by Undersecretary Anneli Lontoc, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Alberto Suansing, and from the Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

Peñalosa said that there is no city in the world that has big and huge highways which does not experience tremendous traffic jams. “But in cities where there are buses and sidewalks for pedestrians and bicycle lanes, there are no traffic since car use is minimized. If the street is too narrow, take away the cars,” he said.

In the same forum, Peñalosa even mentioned that his city did not follow the recommendations of a funding institution to have several elevated highways which would have killed Bogota.

Cebu City, according to him, has a bigger chance of becoming an economically vibrant city with none or lesser congestion through the BRT being a newer city unlike the highly developed cities in Asia and the other parts of the world.

He suggested that for the transport sector such as jeepneys and buses to be acceptable to the new system, they must form part of the system by being initial shareholders.

For her part, Lontoc said that the direction of Cebu City to have the BRT as its public transport system is very laudable.

“It is only in Cebu, yes, and our agency and the President are all for it because it is already proven,” Lontoc said.

She said she is confident that the BRT may be realized in the next two or three years giving time for DOTC’s study and for the two other studies undertaken by the two banks to commence.

DOTC already allotted P32 million for its feasibility study which will run for a maximum of six months.

Baher El Hifnawi, World Bank task team leader, in his presentation said that it is a good thing that the conference was realized in order for the different agencies to decide the respective areas of studies.

World Bank through the Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility allotted $150 million for their own study on Cebu’s BRT.

“There is also a need to think on the roles and on compensations for affected transport sector else this is not likely to work, the operators will be grouped and given a chance to manage the BRT when completed,” he said.

Hans Orn of the Cities Development Initiative for Asia of the ADB also presented its direction of study of the BRT as the desirable transport system of the new South Road Properties.

City Planning and Development coordinator Nigel Paul Villarete initiated the coordination conference. His office is also assigned to penetrate and orient the various sectors on the BRT which is a new concept for city residents.

The BRT is like a train railway where buses are used instead of trains. It will run from the cities of Talisay to Mandaue and then to Lapu-Lapu. – Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)