AN OFFICIAL from the Cebu City Government hopes that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will coordinate with them once the implementation of the multi-billion Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project begins. This, after Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino announced that phase 1 of the Metro Cebu Integrated Intermodal Transport System (MC-IITS) will be completed by 2020. Phase 1 of the transport project will be composed of the Cebu Light Rail Transit project, the BRT and the MC-IITS common station. City Administrator Nigel Paul Villarete said the last time that the City was invited for a meeting with DOTr was last Oct. 9 when some of the updates of the project were presented. DOTr did not discuss, though, how the BRT project will be implemented, he added. After the meeting, Villarete, who has been working for the BRT project for years, said they did not hear any official word from the DOTr anymore. DOTr is the implementing agency of the BRT project. “They may or they may not, though we hope they will coordinate (with the City). That’s fine, for as long as the project proceeds and is completed as soon as possible. Cebu needs the BRT. DOTr is the implementing agency. They can do this without us, but we are simply saying they can do this better, faster, and easier if they work with the local government unit. It’s their choice,” Villarete said. (RVC)