THE Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project may face further delays, as Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama plans the redesign of the bus station fronting the Provincial Capitol to preserve its heritage value.
"With respect to the CBRT... We will be removing the structure in front of the Capitol and hopefully putting an earmark of still a station, but the design has to be different, not too imposing to preserve the heritage value," Rama said during a press conference on Friday, April 19, 2024.
Rama said he met with Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on Friday and talked about the CBRT project and Cebu Port Authority (CPA), saying they had a delightful discussion.
Rama said they will be pursuing the original route of the CBRT.
Regarding the CPA, Rama said Bautista wished to maintain a status quo while awaiting an ongoing case that is pending at the Court of Appeals.
“That being the case, the secretary would have wished a status quo,” Rama said
Rama said a status quo would not mean that the CPA would go with their construction, especially without having the necessary building permits.
Rama said a status quo would not include the City Government in getting into the area, particularly when the area has a lot of revenue issues.
He said the CPA should not close the road, which was supposed to be a public road. He is referring to the road network at the back of the National Museum of the Philippines-Cebu, which is ML Quezon Boulevard.
“They cannot be closing the road because that’s a public road,” Rama said.
He said the city will be pursuing the recovery of that road as it belongs to the public.
During a press conference on April 17, 2024, Cebu City Administrator Collin Rosell addressed the closure of ML Quezon Boulevard adjacent to the National Museum of the Philippines-Cebu.
Rosell said the boulevard, which has been in existence for a significant period, has been closed off by the CPA, emphasizing the misuse of the road for cargo storage and parking for cargo handlers.
Rosell denied allegations that the city is disrupting CPA's port operations, asserting that the city is enforcing the law due to the CPA's violations.
He highlighted the lack of permits and environmental compliance for construction within the CPA premises, stressing that the area belongs to the City of Cebu, which the city aims to reclaim. (AML)