CEBU City has declared a transport emergency after last Christmas exposed how easily the city’s public transport system can be overwhelmed during major events.
The declaration comes as the city braces for the Sinulog Festival and other peak periods that draw huge crowds, strain public utility vehicles and leave commuters scrambling for rides. City officials say the emergency powers are meant to provide fast, temporary relief while long-term transport projects remain unfinished.
Severe congestion during peak events
The Cebu City Council approved the resolution on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, after reports of extreme congestion during the Christmas season. Commuters described waiting hours for jeepneys and buses that were already packed or stuck in traffic. Many turned to motorcycle taxis and ride-hailing apps, only to find bookings difficult unless they offered cash incentives beyond regulated fares.
Temporary free mass transport
Under the emergency declaration, the City Government is authorized to roll out temporary, predictable and free mass transport services along major roads and convergence points. These services are meant to operate on fixed routes with designated stops, linking transport terminals, commercial areas, festival zones and high-density residential and employment districts.
The City may mobilize government-owned or leased vehicles, contract private buses or shuttles and enter short-term partnerships with private transport operators. The goal is to quickly increase fleet availability during predictable demand surges without waiting for permanent infrastructure to be completed.
Crowd management
The resolution also calls for wide dissemination of real-time transport information, including routes and schedules, through official social media, broadcast outlets and on-ground signage. Traffic enforcers, police and public safety offices are directed to coordinate crowd control and orderly boarding to reduce safety risks.
Stopgap measure
Councilor Michelle Abella-Cellona, author of the resolution, stressed that the transport emergency is temporary. One reason cited is the delayed operation of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system, a flagship mobility project of the Department of Transportation that is still not running despite being designed to ease daily congestion.
Concerns
As the main economic, educational and employment hub of Cebu Province, Cebu City experiences demand that far exceeds normal transport capacity during Christmas and the Sinulog Festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands to millions of devotees and tourists.
City officials warned that transport breakdowns lead to lost work hours, lower productivity and missed business opportunities. Tourism stakeholders have also cautioned that unreliable transport hurts visitor experience during Sinulog, one of the country’s largest religious and cultural celebrations.
What happens next
The emergency declaration allows the City to act quickly ahead of major events, but it does not replace the need for long-term solutions. Officials say the temporary measures are intended to keep the city moving during peak periods while waiting for permanent systems like the BRT to become operational. / EHP