THE two firms that proposed to build separate monorail transit (MRT) routes have urged President Rodrigo Duterte to certify both projects as urgent so they can start implementing them as soon as possible.
Officials of Udenna Infrastructure Corp. and Philtram Transportation Consolacion Inc. met with Presidential Assistant Michael Lloyd Dino on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.
Udenna and its foreign partner were granted original proponent status by the Department of Transportation, while Philtram conducted a feasibility study (FS) on a monorail for Cebu in 2018. Based on that FS, the fare would be P11 for the first three kilometers and P1 per succeeding kilometer.
Udenna proposed to build an MRT from Talisay City to Barangay Talamban in Cebu City, passing the Cebu Business Park under Line 1.
Philtram will build an MRT from the South Road Properties in Cebu City to Mandaue City, passing Robinsons Galleria and SM City at the North Reclamation Area under Line 2.
Dino told SunStar Cebu he supports both projects because he believes these can help solve the traffic problem in the metro.
Dondon Guardo of Philtram said these will be implemented under a Build-Transfer-Operate scheme, wherein the firms will build the MRT, transfer its ownership to the government and then the firms will operate it for a certain period or until they recover the cost of construction.
He said the firms will provide equity funding and operations and maintenance.
Meanwhile, Guardo said they will work hand-in-hand with drivers of public utility jeepneys since they will be the ones ferrying passengers to the monorail stations.
Guardo said a monorail is an elevated mass transport system. The average distance between stations is one kilometer. (EOB)