City Hall official says LRT more costly than BRT

CEBU – A Light Rail Transit is too expensive to implement over a Bus Rapid Transit, according to Cebu City Planning and Development Coordinator Nigel Paul Villarete.

Villarete, who has been sentimental about pushing for the BRT as the means of mass urban transport for the four adjacent cities of Cebu, Talisay, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue said LRT means a huge counterpart funding from the local government units involved.

Villarete said after 16 years and four completed studies on the proposal for LRT, Cebu City and its neighboring cities are going nowhere in the search for better urban mobility.

Except for the 1992 pre-feasibility study, the latter three studies were all rail-based and a rail-based system was found to require tremendous government subsidies.

At present Villarete said there is a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) proposal for LRT submitted by the Department of Transportation and Communication by the AMA Group.

For a year now with DOTC, Villarete said it has not been formally endorsed by the latter for a “first pass” evaluation by the National Economic and Development Authority.

“That’s not even first base! The reason is simple —financing. The project requires gigantic capital investment but is not viable without huge infusion of government subsidies. This is the very reason why DOTC called on the local governments of Cebu and the private sector in Cebu to participate in the financing —the proposed project direly needs financing, without which, it becomes totally not feasible,” Villarete said.

On the other hand, Villarete said that the BRT is a huge and complex undertaking which, according to former Bogota, Colombia mayor Enrique Peñalosa, is more than a public transportation project since it is an urban transformation and development project.

Villarete, however, said he is happy that the neighboring cities indicated initial welcome to the BRT idea albeit their initial waiting stand until more detailed information will be presented.

After the Cebu City Council approved the resolution stating as policy direction the choice of a BRT, Villarete sent copies to the three other cities. First District Rep. Eduardo Gullas said he is for both the LRT and the MRT for Talisay City but will commit only after figures from the technocrats will be known.

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes is supportive of the undertaking and may adopt the said ordinance early next year. Lapu-Lapu City is still undecided. — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)