Amid the ongoing implementation of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to address potential issues that could arise once the program is completed.
“I am not against mass transport, but not this way, not this outdated and ridiculous [way] because it is ridiculous...What are we trying to be? Instagrammable or efficient mass transport,” she said in a press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
Garcia said that she met with Transportation Undersecretary Jesus Ferdinand “Andy” Ortega to resolve the CBRT concerns last month.
This includes the pending CBRT bus stations that block the front view of the Capitol building on Osmeña Blvd., in which Garcia said that the non-removal of the steel posts of the bus stations still constitutes a continued violation of the existing heritage laws.
During the meeting, Garcia revealed several concerns to Ortega, such as worsening traffic concerns after the CBRT started back in February 2023, particularly with the dedicated lanes reducing the lanes of Cebu City’s narrow road, which has already caused major inconvenience not only to motorists but also to the commuting public.
The governor added that the DOTr said during the meeting that the agency was considering to have a new feasibility study undertaken by a foreign firm. However, she was hesitant about the notion, as this firm has no background on the real situation on the ground.
“I was very frank with Usec. Ortega, and I said that this would not benefit Cebuano and would cause traffic inconvenience to Cebuanos. Second, it’s going to cause chaos on existing LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) franchises that have already been issued to our transport operators,” Garcia said.
The governor said that Ortega promised her feedback on the concerns she raised; however, the official has not yet done so.
She urged the DOTr to fast-track resolving the concerns she raised. She said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the ceremonial groundbreaking of the project, which was conceived during the past administration.
Last Feb. 27, Garcia ordered the suspension of construction for two CBRT bus stations in front of the Provincial Capitol building, citing potential heritage violations.
Before the civil works resumed, the contractor and the DOTr were told to secure approval from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) for the construction of the bus stations, as the Capitol building is protected under Republic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.
On July 2, Garcia ordered the DOTr to clear out the steel structures and construction materials in these bus stations, or else the Provincial Government would be forced to seek payment of rent.
Traffic concerns
Garcia said that other modes of public transportation will not be allowed to traverse the road where the CBRT dedicated lanes will be situated, as it will be exclusive only to the CBRT buses once completed.
She said that it risks some traditional jeepneys and modern public utility vehicles to lose their franchises and their routes to CBRT buses, which she reiterated was not included in the feasibility study.
“Kamo mga jeepney operators, asa man mo ibutang nga naa naman bus,” Garcia said.
(Where do we put the jeepney operators because there’s already a bus?)
She added that jeepneys and modern public utility vehicles will be forced to drop their passengers at the bus stations instead of their usual route.
She even questioned why these bus stations are constructed in the middle of the road instead of the shoulder lane for passenger convenience.
“Abi man ninyo ang kanang nakit-an niya sa salida, tan-awa naa ba taliwa tunga sa kalsada ang bus stations unya kanang bus stations sa first world countries. That’s a simple bench nay roof adto kay maghuwat ra ang pasahero adto,” Garcia said.
(Do you see in the movie, is there a bus station in the middle of the road? Those bus stations in first world countries, there’s a simple bench with roof and the passengers just wait there.)
“Dili man ta first world, inutang pa gyud ning kwarta nga inyong gigasto karon kay nag times two na cost sa bus rapid transit. Dili kay dapat bongga-ious ta nga ang bus station kay taliwa sa dalan butangan gyud niining dahon-dahon kay para bus station slash Instagrammable,” she added.
(We’re not a first-world country. The funding for the project came from a loan, and now it costs twice as much. But no, we have to show off by putting the bus station in the middle of the road with decorative leaves because it’s a bus station slash Instagrammable spot.)
Another concern Garcia raised was that dedicated lanes of the CBRT limit the lanes of the private vehicles plying these routes, in which the project aimed to promote the use of mass public transportation instead of private motor vehicles.
Garcia said that owners of private vehicles cannot be compelled to stop using them, noting that Filipinos strive to earn a living to afford their vehicles due to the inefficiency of mass public transportation in the country.
“Karon kay sala na ni sa mga nanag-iya og sakyanan kay dedicated lane para sa mga bus kay kinahanglan hatagan og priority. Giunsa mana nila og hunahuna?” Garcia said.
(Now it’s the fault of the vehicle owners because a dedicated lane for buses needs to be prioritized. How did they come up with that idea?)
She added that the CBRT management has no concrete plan as to who will operate the bus stations and the bus units, whether it will be the government, the private sector, or a public-private partnership.
This will lead to another feasibility study as to who will lead the operation of the CBRT once it is completed, Garcia said.
She even asked if the DOTr has traffic count data on the road that the CBRT buses will ply, but the latter cannot provide any information on the number of vehicles traversing these roads back in 2010 and before the construction started.
Pedestrianization
Garcia also reacted negatively to the pedestrianization initiative or the link-to-the-port feature of the CBRT, stating that it will add inconvenience to the public as they will be forced to walk long distances downtown.
She stressed that the CBRT is not the same as the bus rapid transit concept in other countries, comparing the project in Cebu City, where the passengers will be forced to walk long distances.
She said that it was only added to justify the P1 billion savings of the CBRT project from its total cost of around P28 billion.
The link-to-the-port aims to widen the pedestrian lane along Osmeña Blvd. in the downtown portion and limit the two-lane road to a single lane.
Four business establishments along Osmeña Blvd. in Cebu City have raised concerns with the City Council about the proposed link-to-the-port project, citing the potential worsening of traffic conditions in the downtown area and negative economic impacts.
The commercial establishments recommended improving the existing sidewalk instead, removing obstructions such as ambulant vendors, redesigning the sidewalk pavement, and repairing the pavement and lights along the sidewalk. /EHP