CEBU City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña opposes the proposed Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) loop at the South Road Properties (SRP), calling the revised segment a “betrayal of the people of Cebu” for deviating from the system's original plan.
Osmeña made the statement during the City Council’s regular session on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, where the council moved to subject the proposed thoroughfare loop and bus stations to further evaluation.
The vice mayor noted that the project originally included feeder routes connecting Barangay Talamban in the north and Barangay Pardo-Bulacao in the south. The current alignment, he said, prioritizes the SRP segment instead of the broader corridor intended to serve outer communities, ultimately benefiting only the city's largest malls.
Urging the City Council to reject the joint committee report unless the proponent restores the original route design, Osmeña also raised concerns over the project timeline. He warned that the CBRT loan funding expires this year while key components remain incomplete.
Report withdrawn
During the session, the City Council withdrew the draft joint committee report from the budget and transportation committees. Although the report found the project “beneficial and necessary” and backed the SRP loop, it stated the proposal requires careful evaluation of legal, financial and property concerns.
The proposed 2.7-kilometer loop features dedicated bus lanes, at least six stations, bicycle paths and pedestrian sidewalks. It carries an estimated P2 billion price tag for the construction of drainage, pipe works, segregated lanes, a depot and a terminal.
The project affects about 10,223 square meters of land. This includes 8,726 square meters within the city's joint venture area with Filinvest Land Inc. and 1,479 square meters of city-owned property for two bus stations.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), the project's implementing agency, stressed that local government support is urgent to complete the SRP stations before the World Bank loan expires in September 2026. Further delays, the DOTr warned, jeopardize critical funding for the overall CBRT system.
This urgency follows the City Council's decision on Feb. 23 to defer a “No Objection” resolution due to property concerns tied to the Filinvest joint venture.
During a subsequent hearing on Feb. 27 attended by representatives from the DOTr, Filinvest and various city departments, officials discussed the project's financial impact on the affected land, which is valued at an estimated P195,000 to P200,000 per square meter. To address this, the DOTr suggested the government charge the area against the 30 percent open space allocation required under the joint venture agreement.
While Filinvest expressed support, the private partner noted the project requires compensation or adjustments to mitigate impacts on its financial projections.
Local departments offered mixed assessments. The City Treasurer's Office said treating the affected areas as open spaces prevents immediate financial losses, but replacing saleable land could affect revenues and audit compliance. Conversely, the City Planning and Development Office argued the development enhances land value, accessibility and long-term economic benefits.
Weighing these factors, Councilor Winston Pepito, committee on transportation chairman, said the project's economic and mobility potential outweighs immediate financial concerns, though a thorough review of the joint venture agreement remains necessary.
Echoing this need for scrutiny, Councilor Dave Tumulak, committee on budget and finance chairman, recommended submitting detailed feasibility studies and financial assessments alongside continued deliberations.
Tumulak added that the joint committee requested the Mayor's Office to convene the joint venture oversight committee to resolve compensation issues, open space allocations and legal implications.
Ultimately, Osmeña maintained that the City Council acts as the final oversight committee to review the proposed project. / EHP