MAYOR Raymond Alvin Garcia said the Cebu City Government is aiming to start operations of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project’s Package 1 in 2026 and eyes to collaborate with a private company for the provision of buses for this initial phase.
Garcia announced this during a radio interview on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
“Hopefully, by next year, we can begin operating Package 1,” he said in Cebuano during an interview with dyHP
Package 1 covers a route spanning 2.38 kilometers from the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) on N. Bacalso Ave. to the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Osmeña Blvd.
The buses could be managed through a partnership between the City and a private firm, according to Garcia.
In a phone interview with SunStar Cebu on Thursday, May 8, Garcia said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has yet to decide who will operate the CBRT buses. DOTr is the lead agency for the project.
Garcia acknowledged that it would be difficult for the City to sustain operations alone, making the involvement of a private firm necessary.
“It is a very big task for us as a government to run a mass transport system. What we will do, most probably, is partner with an expert in mass transportation,” he said.
Electric buses
Last February, Garcia said he was eyeing an integration of electric buses into the CBRT system, drawing inspiration from Sweden’s public transport model.
Garcia’s interest was sparked following a courtesy visit from newly appointed Swedish Ambassador to the Philippines Anna Pernilla Ferry.
Sweden, a Nordic country, operates a BRT system in Gothenburg through the ElectriCity project, a public-private initiative testing sustainable transport technologies.
During the ambassador’s visit, Swedish experts showcased several innovations, including electric bus units, management systems and safety features.
Garcia said he is keen on adopting similar technologies for Cebu City’s transit system. Talks with Swedish officials regarding clean energy and collaboration began as early as 2022, when Garcia was still serving as vice mayor.
The CBRT project, which began planning in 2010 and started construction in February 2023, will be the first bus rapid transit system in the country after its completion. It aims to provide a more efficient, safe and environmentally friendly public transportation option for Cebu City.
Full operations
Originally slated for partial operations by the second quarter of 2024 and full operations by the second quarter of 2025, the project has been pushed back, with full operational status now expected in 2027. The initial budget of P16.3 billion has also increased to P28.78 billion.
Package 1 is part of the project’s first phase, which includes a 13.18-kilometer main line with dedicated bus lanes, 17 stations, a depot and a terminal.
While infrastructure works for Package 2 are still underway, the entire project is expected to be “70 to 80 percent” complete within the next three years, according to Garcia.
As part of his plan to ensure CBRT station operations continue, Garcia said he is considering a potential site for a station along Escario St.
SunStar Cebu reported on March 10 that the CBRT project will proceed without stations along Osmeña Blvd. in front of the Provincial Capitol.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the removal of the stations in the area after it was found that constructing bus stations on property owned by the Provincial Government would violate heritage laws.
Earlier, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued a cease-and-desist order against construction of bus stations as these would block the facade of the Capitol building, which was designated a National Historical Landmark in 2008 and an Important Cultural Property in 2020. The building is also protected under Republic Act 11961, or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.
The building was constructed in 1937 and completed in 1938. It was inaugurated on June 14, 1938, during the term of Gov. Buenaventura Rodriguez, with President Manuel L. Quezon leading the inauguration ceremony. / DPC