Osmeña: New route “ploy”to cancel BRT

CEBU, Philippines — Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña believes that the amendment to the proposed routes of the Bus Rapid Transit is a “ploy” to cancel the project.

Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino announced Thursday that Natalio Bacalso Avenue and Banilad-Talamban corridors would be excluded from the BRT routes because of the narrow roads.

The BRT would instead start at the South Road Properties to save cost. Dino explained that N. Bacalso is too narrow for the BRT. He said it is also impractical and costly to widen the highway just to accommodate the project.

 Osmeña, who started BRT study in the early 90s, said there is no population base at the SRP to make the route profitable for the operator.

 “It’s a ploy to cancel the BRT. There is no population base at the SRP who will use the new SRP route,” Osmeña said.

To recall, the 23-kilometer BRT project’s original route will start from Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City and will traverse N. Bacalso Avenue, SRP, Osmeña Boulevard, Escario Street and Governor Cuenco Avenue going to Talamban.

Osmeña said the cancellation of Banilad-Talamban corridor would mean “more years of suffering.”

BRT is now a component of the Integrated Intermodal Transport System proposed by the Department of Transportation and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas.

DOTr and Dino earlier vowed to continue the implementation of BRT project since it is part of the IITS project for Metro Cebu.

The IITS projects include Point-to-point (P2P) bus system; monorail in Lapu-Lapu City; BRTin three-lane roads; Light Rail Transit (LRT) from Carcar to Danao and Mandaue to airport.

Meanwhile, the new members of Cebu City Council want to be apprised of the developments of the multi-billion BRT project.

A resolution sponsored by Councilor Nestor Archival was approved last Tuesday asking the DOTr and the project consultants to update them of the status of the project.

“We have problems on traffic that is why I am inviting the Department of Transportation through the Technical Support Consultant in an executive session to provide the City Council with the latest updates on the progress and developments that include the design, funding, implementation, completion, and other related matters concerning the Bus Rapid Transit project and other projects under the Integrated Intermodal Transport System,” Archival told the members of the City Council.

An executive session was scheduled on August 20 to discuss the proposed realignment of the BRT routes and other updates.

Archival said the city applied for and was granted a Technical Assistance Package from the Asian Development Bank through its cities development initiative for Asia window to undertake the project.

The National Economic Development Authority board approved the project in 2004 with the budget allocation of P10 billion.

In 2017, the NEDA board approved the budget increase from P10 billion to P16.3 billion due to the passage of Republic Act 10752 otherwise known as The Right of Way Act which requires government implementing agencies to offer the market value of properties to be acquired for infrastructure projects.

Aside from the BRT, Archival said the city should be informed of the updates on the projects under the IITS. — FPL (FREEMAN)