Cuenco not buying reason for CBRT delay

CEBU, Philippines — A Cebu City legislator does not agree that the cease and desist order against the construction of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) station in front of the Cebu Provincial Capitol caused the delay in the completion of the project’s Package 1.

This is after a status report submitted to the City Council showed that Package 1 is just 60 percent finished, with 20 percent of its work scope affected by the order issued by Gov. Gwen Garcia.

It was also said that completion of the asphalting in Package 1 is already at 62 percent while the “Urban Realm Enhancement Component”, or the “Link to Port” feature of the project, is already at 70 percent, as of July 5.

The status report stemmed from the concern of City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco, chairman of the City Council’s committee on transportation.

In a phone interview, Cuenco said the report transmitted to the council appeared to be blaming the cease and desist order issued by the Capitol, which objected to the bus station blocking the view of the historical landmark and violating the “vista corridor” principle.

Cuenco said the cease and desist order was issued months back, particularly last February 27.

“Now since that time, giingnan na man sila (CBRT management) nga secure a permit and a changed design, give us a new design nga dili makaapekto sa view diha sa Capitol diha sa Fuente Osmeña,” he said.

“What have they done? Nag-present ba sila og new design? What is the status?” he further said.

Cuenco said he would also like to be updated on the status of the clearance requested from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

The councilor has been vocal about the project, raising concerns and “red flags” in a few privileged speeches the past months.

He alleged that although not yet finished, the CBRT is already manifesting the "symptoms" of the "failed" BRT systems in Hanoi, Vietnam; Bangkok, Thailand; and Delhi, India.

In particular, he pointed out that identifying who would operate the CBRT buses has not even been solved, if the operation would be done through a Public-Private Partnership or not and if there is even an operator who will accept.

“Wala pa man gani mahuman ang Package 1, nganong gisugdan na man ang Link-to-Port?” he said, yesterday.

He was referring to the CBRT civil works on a portion of Osmen?a Blvd. from the P. del Rosario St. junction to Plaza Independencia where the sidewalk would be extended and the road reduced to a just a lane in each direction to implement pedestrianization.

“Honestly I really don't know the root cause of the delay and we can only speculate, unless the CBRT management sits down and level with us and discuss the problem,” Cuenco said.

He suggested for the CBRT management to allow the city to participate in the decision-making process in all aspects of the project rather than the Department of Transportation-Central office in Manila making all the decisions. —/RHM (FREEMAN)