BRT route to airport seen to affect MyBus

CEBU, Philippines – Transport Secretary Jose Emilio Abaya confirmed there will be a Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) route going to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport soon.

Abaya, who was recently in Cebu to witness the cement pouring ceremony for MCIA’s new terminal, told reporters that  Cebuanos should be proud of their new means of transportation, as it is “much ahead” of the Manila BRT.

“It will be the first Visayas BRT. We are currently finishing up the detailed engineering design for the Cebu BRT, that should probably be finished (by the) first quarter of this year,” Abaya said.

The Cebu City Hall, through its project head Rafael Yap, recently unveiled the design of the P10.6 billion CBRT,  which will be “distinctly Bisdak,” reflecting the sunny disposition and cheerful nature of the Cebuanos.

The South Korea-based Kunhwa Engineering and Consultancy prepared the design and presented it last year to the Technical Working Group composed of several representatives from the Cebu City government.

It was the DOTC that tapped the engineering firm in April 2015.

Asked if the MyBus will be pulled out from the airport by the time BRT is fully operational in 2018, Abaya said it is possible to happen in the following years.  However, he said MyBus operator Metro Rapid Transit Services Inc. is welcome to participate in any future BRT bidding.

“That’s how I see it to be. Of course, they could always join and participate. It could be transformed but it wouldn’t just grant that particular concessionaire. It has to be procured, it has to be bid out to a competitive environment,” Abaya said.

MyBus started its operations last November under SM Prime Holdings, whose new mall opened recently at the South Road Properties in Cebu City.

But in order to make the proposed project come true, Abaya said they need social preparations from the local government officials, provincial government and from the people of Cebu.

“What we intend to do is to integrate jeepney drivers and operators to the system — who realize its good potential to minimize competition, likewise minimize traffic on segregated paths, allows jeep to feed into (the system). Sila naman ang magdadala ng mga pasahero mula sa kanilang tirahan, papunta sa BRT system,” Abaya said. (FREEMAN)