So we will finally see the groundbreaking of the much-delayed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system with no less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. attending. The project has survived four administrations, dating back to the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
By the way, the report in another newspaper that the BRT was almost shelved during the term of President Benigno Aquino III because he favored the light rail transit and the mono rail transit is not quite accurate. In fact, it was PNoy who placed the BRT among the top Public-Private Partnership projects that his administration would pursue.
It was during President Rodrigo Duterte’s term that the BRT nearly got the axe. During a trip to Cebu in mid-August 2017, then National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Ernesto Pernia announced that he had suspended the implementation of the BRT while they were considering the LRT that was pushed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) as part of their so-called “basket of solutions” for the worsening traffic situation in the city.
The announcement drew a vehement protest from then Mayor Tomas Osmeña. “I’m going to fight for this,” he said, referring to the BRT, as he bemoaned the lack of consultation with local elected officials prior to the suspension.
Osmeña’s reaction was expected. The BRT was his brainchild. Just as in the case of another pet project of his—the South Road Properties (SRP)—he singularly pushed for his favored mass transport system, never giving up until it got the attention that it deserved from Malacañang. In September 2012, the full feasibility study of the project was completed by the World Bank.
Is the BRT ready to fly this time or should we fear another setback? The DOTr has announced that it has already chosen the winning bidder who will oversee the civil works under the first segment of the BRT. Package 1 consists of a 2.3 kilometer stretch from the Cebu South Bus Terminal to the Provincial Capitol via Osmeña Blvd.
But do they have the wherewithal to fund the project? We borrowed money but because of the inordinate delay in using it, the loan is about to expire. Besides, the cost must have risen tremendously, again because of the delay.
The DOTr is still negotiating for the extension of the credit accommodation—actually two loans from two different sources—but they’re confident that they will be able to secure it.
The confidence has rubbed off on Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who revealed that he wanted to share the credit for the BRT with Osmeña and that he has asked DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista to invite the former mayor to the ground-breaking.
Considering the history behind the BRT, it should have been Osmeña who ought to be doing the inviting. But such are the vagaries of politics. The winner takes it all.