With city officials, planners: Gullas wants talks on LRT

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu 1st District Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas yesterday called for a meeting with officials of Cebu City and urban planners to discuss the proposed Light Railway Transit (LRT) in Metro Cebu.

Before other officials of the city can even reply, Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña said that he is not interested in such meeting.

Osmeña is the proponent of the Bus Rapid Transport System and he is waiting for the outcome of the feasibility study about such.

Gullas, on the other hand, is the proponent of the LRT, which he believes is ideal for Metro Cebu.

Gullas was the guest of the 888 Forum held at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel yesterday.

The veteran legislator, who also once served as governor of Cebu Province, said that the LRT will be a cheaper mode of transportation compared to the BRT, which uses buses.

World Bank consultants have already released results of a prefeasibility study that showed that the BRT, which is strongly endorsed by Osmeña, is feasible for implementation in the city.

The prefeasibility that was conducted from October last year to last May showed that a BRT in the main corridor of the city is feasible technically, financially and physically.

Gullas, proposal, on the other hand, is a three-phase LRT project in Metro Cebu.

Gullas explained that his proposed phase-1 of the project is for the LRT to operate from Talisay City to Mandaue City. 

The next phase shall be from Talisay City to the southern town of Dalaguete.

The third phase of the LRT project shall be from Mandaue up to Carmen in northern Cebu.

But Gullas' LRT project can't be implemented without the nod of the Cebu City officials as it will pass through the city.

Some Cebu City officials are not supporting the LRT because they observed that in Manila the elevated railway system have made the place look ugly.

The officials of Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City have also expressed more interest in the BRT, which is so much cheaper. 

Officials of Talisay City, which is part of Gullas' district, favor the LRT.

"Kanang magtagbo mi si Tommy bisan asa ako man g'yud na siya nga duolon ug ingnon nga estoryahon lang god nato ni ang isyu dili lang ta mag-away," Gullas said.

The relations between Osmeña and Gullas soured when the latter asked for a share from the proceeds of the South Reclamation Project as some parts of such are in Talisay City. Gullas was then mayor of Talisay.

Osmeña had earlier threatened to file graft charges against officials, who endorse the LRT.

He claimed that those who are strongly endorsing for the operation of the LRT system in Metro Cebu have their personal interest in the project.

The former mayor strongly endorsed the BRT system because he said it was already proven to be an effective mode of transportation in Bogota, Colombia and some other cities of the world.

The pro-LRT group, on the other hand, says that the BRT is difficult to implement here as our roads were not built for big vehicles like buses to ply.

Both the LRT and BRT follow the same system of having stops in specific stations and not just anywhere, which is the practice of the public utility jeepneys. -/NLQ (FREEMAN)