CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival has placed the spotlight on one issue that could make or break the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project: road right-of-way (RROW) for Package 2.
For the CBRT system to operate in its full alignment, dedicated lanes must be cleared and available for buses. Several portions of the corridor, however, remain occupied, and the City cannot move forward unless these spaces are acquired and property owners are properly compensated.
Archival, in a press conference on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, said he has instructed city offices to focus on securing funds from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) so the City can purchase the remaining lots. He emphasized that the clearance of right-of-way is now the most urgent task to fast-track the project’s completion.
“Those roads that are still being occupied and need to be purchased are what we will focus on, so we can secure funding from the DOTr. We will add that funding in order to acquire the road right-of-way, that is our current focus,” he said.
Why it matters
The focus on RROW acquisition is critical because it addresses a long-standing obstacle to major infrastructure projects in the country. Without securing the land, projects like the CBRT cannot be completed in their intended design, often resulting in piecemeal construction, delays and limited functionality.
For Cebu, the full completion of the CBRT is meant to ease the city’s chronic traffic congestion and provide a reliable, high-capacity public transport system. The current, limited test runs on a small segment of the route have highlighted the shortcomings of an incomplete system.
Commuters have reported traffic delays and the route itself does not serve the high-density residential and commercial areas it was designed for. By focusing on RROW, the City is attempting to correct the project’s course and deliver on its promise of a more efficient public transport network.
The original CBRT concept
The CBRT system was designed to connect Cebu City’s busiest areas through dedicated bus lanes. Under its original concept, the loop starts in Bulacao in the south, passes through the South Road Properties and Mambaling, heads up to Ayala Center, I.T. Park, and Talamban in the north, and then circles back. The current test runs, however, only cover Osmeña Blvd. to the Cebu South Bus Terminal, a much shorter stretch.
Archival admitted that this limited operation does not yet reflect the CBRT’s real design, which was envisioned to serve thousands of commuters from the city’s southern entry points.
The bigger picture
The CBRT project is part of a national push to modernize and improve public transportation in the Philippines’ most populated urban centers. However, this initiative often faces significant hurdles related to land acquisition. Many properties, both private and public, are located directly in the path of planned infrastructure, from highways to rail and bus systems.
The legal and logistical process for acquiring these properties is complex and can be a source of major project delays. It involves detailed appraisals, negotiations with property owners and, in some cases, lengthy legal battles.
Gaps revealed during inspection
On Friday, Sept. 19, city officials conducted a route inspection with the DOTr and CBRT managers, simulating runs from Fuente Osmeña to the south bus terminal. Archival explained that the buses are not yet officially in dry run mode, as operations will begin on Sept. 29. For now, inspections are meant to identify gaps in the system and test travel times.
Archival noted that without stops, the trip from Fuente to the terminal could take as little as four minutes, but congestion at intersections remains a major obstacle. Among the challenges raised during the simulation was the lack of automated traffic lights, which are supposed to prioritize BRT buses at crossings.
For now, traffic enforcers manually override signals to give way to the buses, but this slows down operations.
What to watch
The primary development to monitor is the City’s progress in securing the necessary funding from the DOTr and the subsequent acquisition of properties. This will be a key indicator of whether the project can overcome one of its most significant barriers. Observers should also pay attention to how quickly and fairly the compensation process is carried out, as this will affect public support for the project.
Another important point to watch is how the additional traffic enforcers affect the dry run on Sept. 29. While the long-term solution lies in automated traffic light systems, the immediate impact of manual intervention will show whether the City can temporarily manage traffic flow and improve travel times for the buses. The success of this dry run will be crucial in building public confidence in the CBRT’s future.
Adjustments before the dry run
Archival has ordered the deployment of additional enforcers to help manage traffic flow during the Sept. 29 dry run. He also said he will ask the DOTr to submit a report and recommendations based on the first days of testing.
One of his proposals is to test direct routes from SRP to Ayala Center, with possible extensions from Il Corso to Ayala via the south bus terminal and Osmeña Blvd. He added that while some commuters found the trial runs manageable, the system still has many adjustments to make before it can reflect the full BRT concept.
At present, Package 1 of the CBRT project, which covers the 2.38-kilometer Osmeña Blvd. trunkline from the Capitol to the south bus terminal, has been substantially completed and is now being used for the test runs.
Package 2, which spans 10.8 kilometers from Bulacao through SRP, Mambaling, Osmeña Blvd., Ayala Center and Gorordo Ave., still requires significant RROW acquisition.
This second package is now the focus of Archival’s directive, since it represents the backbone of the original BRT design.
The CBRT, a multi-billion peso project covering 35.28 kilometers with 17 stations, is envisioned to transform public transportation in Cebu City.
Once fully operational, it is expected to ease traffic congestion, shorten travel times and provide a reliable alternative for commuters.
Despite the setbacks, Archival stressed that the vision of the project remains clear: to provide public transport that values all passengers, regardless of social status. / CAV