Public urged to support Bus Rapid Transit System

CEBU - Cebu City administrator Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez has encouraged the public to support the proposed Bus Rapid Transit system because it is intended to improve the city’s transport system.

He asked the public to look back during the administration of then former city mayor Eulogio “Yoyong” Borres who also made a drastic move to ban the “tartanillas” from operating in the downtown streets to give way to jeepneys.

Fernandez said the banning of these caleza’s also encountered a strong objection from the owners and the “kutseros,” who criticized the former mayor for favoring the operators of the passenger jeepneys.

The public was later able to adapt with the new mode of transportation and in fact, some of the “kutseros” later became jeepney drivers and were able to improve the lives of their families.

Fernandez strongly supports the plan to implement the BRT system in Cebu City and other neighboring local government units, because it will surely improve the transport services.

While the transportation experts of the University of the Philippines, in coordination with the Department of Transportation and Communication, are still conducting a feasibility study into the proposed BRT system to be implemented in Cebu City, some PUJ drivers expressed concern on their possible loss of livelihood.

Ryan Benjamin Yu, managing director of the City Transport Services Cooperative said the transport operators will not oppose to the planned improvement of the city’s transport system, but just asked the government to see to it that those who will be affected will be given alternatives during the transition period.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña is pushing for the BRT system because it is much cheaper compared to the Railway Transport system, which is now being adopted in some parts of Metro Manila.

City planning officer Nigel Paul Villarete explained that if the city will adopt the BRT system there will be less problem on air pollution because the number of vehicles, particularly the jeepneys, would be reduced. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (THE FREEMAN)