Villarete: BRT won't go vs. Arroyo order

CEBU, Philippines - The Bus Rapid Transport System will not go against a recently issued administrative order of President Gloria Arroyo ordering the use of an environmentally sustainable mass transport system to be adopted in the Philippines, said Cebu City Planning and Development Office head Nigel Paul Villarete.

Villarete was reacting to AO 254 which was issued last January 30, creating the Task Group on Fossil Fuels which will be responsible for the effective coordination of government, international organizations and private sector pertaining to the National Environmentally Sustainable Transport Strategy.

It favors the system of non-motorized locomotion and collective transport system such as walking, cycling and the man-powered mini-trains.

“Shifting to BRT means more and more people will take the public transportation which is efficient and uses less fossil fuel per passenger and less cars on the road, it will be using clean fuel technology, emitting less carbon dioxide into the air,” Villarete said.

This is the reason why the BRT proposal was qualified for funding under the World Bank.

Just recently WB allowed the $315,000 grant for the feasibility study and the DOTC study is in the process of bidding.

Villarete said the issuance of the administrative order is good for Cebu City, now that WB is about to start the BRT study and DOTC will be bidding out its own study. 

Villarete said when Arroyo learns of the proposal he is sure that she will readily support the project since it is within her issued policy and it is cheaper than the costly Light Rail Transit proposed in Manila. –Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)