Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival stated on Monday, July 27, 2026, that right-of-way acquisition remains the biggest obstacle to completing the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project due to unresolved property negotiations and documentary requirements.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted Republic Act 12289, or the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way Act, during his fifth State of the Nation Address to speed up private property acquisition for government infrastructure projects.
The National Government earmarked P900 million for right-of-way acquisition, but compensation has been delayed because ownership records from the previous administration must be updated, and expropriation proceedings may be necessary for landowners unwilling to sell.
RIGHT-OF-WAY (ROW) acquisition remains the biggest obstacle to completing the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT), with unresolved property negotiations and documentary requirements continuing to delay the project’s remaining segments, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said Monday, July 27, 2026.
The issue gained renewed attention after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona), highlighted Republic Act 12289, or the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way (Arrow) Act, which aims to speed up the acquisition of private properties for government infrastructure projects.
Marcos also cited the CBRT as among the administration’s ongoing transport initiatives, noting that its first operational segment is already serving commuters.
Funding
Hours before the President’s address, Archival said ROW acquisition dominated discussions during a meeting between the Regional Project Monitoring Team of the Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 and Cebu City officials.
“The biggest portion of our discussion was the acquisition of the road right-of-way,” Archival said during a press conference.
He said the National Government has earmarked P900 million to acquire properties needed for the CBRT, particularly in the Vestil area, a key access road to the South Road Properties (SRP).
About half of the allocation has already been downloaded to the Cebu City Government, but compensation to affected property owners has yet to begin because ownership records and other documents released under the previous administration must first be updated and transferred to the current City Government.
Archival warned that prolonged delays could also put the remaining national funding at risk. Under the funding arrangement, the City must utilize at least 70 percent of the amount already released before it can receive the balance, he said.
Expropriation
Beyond paperwork, negotiations with affected landowners remain another major hurdle.
Of the 55 identified property owners, not all have agreed to sell their land to the government.
“Not everyone is willing to sell. If they do not agree, we will have to resort to expropriation proceedings and that will take time,” Archival said.
He added that ROW acquisition is also ongoing in other sections of the CBRT alignment, including Talamban, where additional properties have been identified for acquisition.
Archival said he has directed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the City’s technical teams to expedite the completion of documentary requirements to prevent further setbacks.
Cancellation
The ROW issue has long hampered the flagship transport project.
Earlier this month, the World Bank canceled $84.9 million in financing for the CBRT after the Philippine Government requested a partial cancellation and restructuring of the loan, citing prolonged implementation delays and the project’s inability to complete major components before the loan expires in September 2026.
The restructuring removed World Bank financing for Civil Works Packages 2 and 3 — including portions of the planned trunk corridor, bus terminals and depots — leaving only the completion of the first civil works package and related activities under the remaining loan.
Priorities
The issue has likewise figured in recent policy debates at City Hall.
Earlier this month, the Cebu City Council approved a resolution opposing the DOTr’s proposal to prioritize the CBRT segment within the SRP, urging instead that the original Bulacao-to-Talamban corridor be completed first.
Council members argued that the original alignment would benefit more commuters, while the DOTr maintained that unresolved ROW issues have continued to impede progress in several sections of the project.
The President’s newly enacted Arrow Act is expected to accelerate future land acquisition for infrastructure projects, but for Cebu’s BRT, the immediate challenge remains clearing long-standing property and documentation hurdles that continue to hold back its full implementation. / CAV