Main Development: The Cebu Provincial Government is set to implement “Tabang Pambiyahe,” a P20-million DOTr-funded pilot transport reform project running from June 2026 to June 2027 to replace the traditional boundary system.
Accountability/Conflict: Participating operators will receive a fixed subsidy of P54 to P60 per kilometer based on GPS trip records, but must comply with strict vehicle service standards or face withheld subsidies.
Public Impact & Data: Initially focusing on the high-commuter Sibonga and Danao routes, the program plans to integrate an AI-based roadside camera mobility platform by August 2026 to monitor traffic, passenger volume, and congestion.
THE Cebu Provincial Government is set to roll out the implementation phase of its “Tabang Pambiyahe” transport reform program, a P20-million pilot project funded by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) that aims to move public transport away from the traditional boundary system.
The project will run from June 2026 to June 2027, with officials currently coordinating the schedule for the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Province and the DOTr.
Elizar Sabinay Jr. of the Cebu Provincial Planning and Development Office said operators participating in the program will receive a fixed subsidy of P54 to P60 per kilometer, equivalent to about P1,300 to P1,500 per trip, regardless of passenger load.
For example, a bus traveling the roughly 47-kilometer route between the Cebu South Bus Terminal and Sibonga will receive the same subsidy whether the vehicle is full or nearly empty.
Subsidy mechanism
To qualify for monthly payments, operators must submit accomplishment reports backed by GPS-generated trip records. Manual logs will not be accepted.
The Province has also established service standards for participating operators. Buses must have clean interiors, low-floor access for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, functional onboard cameras, and strictly enforce a no-standing-passenger policy. Loading and unloading times will generally be limited to one minute per stop, except when assisting elderly or disabled passengers.
Compliance will be monitored through random audits. Violations may result in the withholding of subsidies for specific trips and, for repeated offenses, escalating penalties that could eventually lead to the loss of subsidies.
AI-based monitoring
The Province is also preparing to integrate artificial intelligence in the program’s second phase. Through the Department of Science and Technology’s Balik Scientist Program, Cebu is partnering with transport scientist Syrus Gumari to deploy an AI-based mobility platform that uses roadside cameras to monitor traffic flow, passenger volume and bus stop congestion.
Targeted for rollout by August 2026, the technology will provide automated monitoring and evaluation data and help guide future improvements, including possible infrastructure upgrades.
Pilot routes
The pilot will initially focus on the Sibonga-Cebu South Bus Terminal and Danao City-Cebu IT Park routes, which serve high-volume daily commuters.
While Ceres (Vallacar Transit Inc.) is currently best positioned to participate because of its fleet capacity, the program remains open to all operators that can meet the province’s service requirements. / CDF