THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) board raised the budget for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) from P16.3 billion to P28.78 billion during its 10th meeting on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.
The board, chaired by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., also extended the implementation period until the end of December 2027, and adjusted the loan validity from the French Development Agency (AFD) and the World Bank to September 2027.
The AFD had granted the Philippine Government a loan worth $57.4 million for the mass transport system project in 2012, while the World Bank approved a $116 million loan for the project in 2014.
The additional P12.4 billion budget will cover the cost of changes in the project plan that now includes mixed traffic sections from Bulacao to Talisay, South Road Properties (SRP) to Talisay, and Cebu IT Park to Talamban. Additionally, there will be an increase in the number of stations and terminals, optimization of routes, and an overall increase in the number of buses.
Original plan
In the original plan, the 13.8-kilometer CBRT project had 17 stations, one depot, and one trunk terminal from SRP in the south to Cebu IT Park in the north of Cebu City.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) previously said the mass transport system is expected to cater to 60,000 passengers daily in its first year of operation, and up to 160,000 passengers once it is fully operational.
The DOTr also said 83 13-meter-long buses will ply the CBRT route during its first year of operation, but the number will go up to 144 buses by 2038.
Package 1 of the project was targeted to be completed in the last quarter of 2023.
However, Cebu City Administrator Collin Rosell announced last Thursday, Oct. 12, that the construction would be delayed, citing changes in the plan which he did not specify.
He said the first package is now expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024.
SunStar Cebu tried to reach CBRT manager Norvin Imbong regarding the changes, to no avail.
The first phase of the project is composed of three packages, with Package 1 covering a distance of 2.38 kilometers from the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) on N. Bacalso Ave. to the front of the Capitol building along Osmeña Blvd.
Package 1 is worth P1.048 billion. Chinese firm Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Company Limited of China won the contract after it placed a bid of P900 million.
The DOTr has yet to bid out Package 2, which is composed of the routes from the Capitol to the Cebu IT Park in Barangay Lahug and another route from the CSBT to the SRP.
Package 3 will include routes from the Cebu IT Park to Barangay Talamban and the SRP to Talisay City.
It also includes a 22.1-kilometer Feeder Line System, which will run over mixed traffic, with two feeder terminals in 76 bus stops across Cebu City and Talisay City.
Other priority projects
During the meeting, the board approved P269.7 billion worth of high-impact projects, which aim to boost tourism in the country and address gaps in the healthcare system.
Among these is the P4.5 billion Bohol-Panglao International Airport project and the P392-million Dialysis Center Project of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC).
The Bohol-Panglao Airport project aims to increase its international passenger maximum capacity from 2.5 million passengers per year at the start of project to 3.9 million by its completion.
The board said it is seen to improve the passenger experience at the Bohol-Panglao International Airport, boosting tourism in the province.
Noting that chronic kidney disease is one of the leading causes of hospitalization and the 10th leading cause of mortality in the Philippines, the board said the P392-million Dialysis Center Project of the BGHMC will address the need for more accessible and affordable hemodialysis treatment.
Also approved during the meeting was the P13.08 billion Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility–Second Additional Financing, which will provide the Department of Public Works and Highways and DOTr with a better mode for financing and conducting project preparation activities.
The second addition will allow more Infrastructure Flagship Projects to be implemented sooner.
It also approved the Green Economy Programme in the Philippines to be financed through a P3.62-billion grant from the European Union for the accomplishment of the Green Economy initiative by building the capacity of the National Government, local government units, and the private sector to mainstream and sustain green economy activities, enhance the country’s circular economy, reduce waste and plastic, and increase energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment.
The board also increased the budget for the construction of the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge project from P175.6 billion to P219.3 billion, and the implementation period will be extended to December 2029.