Has Mayor Mike Rama forgotten the MCLUTS?

Perhaps he doesn’t know it, but since he came up with the idea of moving the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) to Cordova, Rep. Tomas Osmeña has become the butt of jokes, something that never happened before in his political career. I guess it is due to the fact that his principal (although there are unseen reasons) reason for moving this huge airport facility from its current location is the bad traffic specifically along Mandaue City, which is something his political ally Mayor Jonas Cortez should be doing, like getting rid of trisikads & tricycles in the national road.

 But in truth, traffic along Mandaue City can flow faster if they constructed a flyover along M. L. Quezon Ave. and along Plaridel St. which leads you to the Fernan Bridge as these are the only two major intersections were traffic is always clogged. If you used the Fernan Bridge, there are no traffic jams along the side of Lapu-Lapu City. Hence, there really is no need to have the MCIAA moved to Cordova if traffic is their excuse. Talking about MCIAA, I got this letter from former MCIAA General Manager Danilo Francia. Here’s his letter in full;

 “Bobit, When I was still in Cebu, I was one of those surprised to know that not a single airport in the Philippines is certified by the CAAP (ATO then). And this was one of the reasons why FAA caused the Philippines to be downgraded to Category 2. We then organized and, with the help of ICAO Reps and CAAP, planned to satisfy the requirements needed so MCIA could be headed towards certification.

 Romy Bersonda and Sam Elle, with CAAP at MCIA, accomplished the mandated Airport Manuals and Safety Management System requirements and prepared to be evaluated by a joint CAAP-ICAO team. After the first evaluation and then satisfaction of major findings, the airport was subjected to a second evaluation. The attached documents are now proof of Mactan Cebu International Airport being the first airport in the Philippines to be certified by our own CAAP. Signed Danny Francia.” Thanks for this report Usec. Danny Francia. Let’s hope that the current MCIAA administration would be focused into building not just a new terminal, but also that parallel runway, which we would need very soon.

 We should never repeat the mistakes that the planners in Metro Manila did when they constructed, not just the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), then the Centennial Terminal 2 that Philippine Airlines (PAL) is exclusively using and now the controversial Fraport or Terminal 3 where Cebu Pacific Air (CEB), AirPhil and the other airlines are now using.

 Yet NAIA allowed Merville and the Moonwalk subdivisions to sprout knowing that they are beside an international airport. Later, the residents of these subdivisions demanded from NAIA officials a noise abatement program, thus disallowing aircraft to fly at certain hours so the residents can have a good sleep. This is what is now happening beside MCIIA, on land that was reserved for the second runway. If it were up to me, I would start expropriating those lands needed for the runway before the cost skyrockets and it becomes too expensive. But it is still much cheaper than reclaiming new land along Cordova, which needs at least 10 years to settle.

 Meanwhile, I read that news report that Mayor Michael Rama signed a resolution addressed to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson to stop the construction of more two-lane flyovers, until the DPWH first conducts a Transportation Master Plan and study alternative solutions to the current “horrendous” traffic problem in the city. Maybe we should jolt or wake up Mayor Rama and remind him that the DPWH is merely implementing a long delayed solution to our “horrendous” traffic problems based on the tried and tested Metro Cebu Land Use and Transportation Studies (MCLUTS), which is the Cebu Master plan.

 Under the MCLUTS, we created the Metro Cebu Development Programs 1 & 2 (MCDP) when we widened B. Rodriquez St., V. Rama Ave. and constructed the Imus New Road, of which I was the Road Right of Way Chairman, including the widening of A.S. Fortuna and the Banilad Road.

 For Mayor Mike’s information, CITOM during our watch, have long approved at least two flyovers, the one in MJ. Cuenco and Gen. Maxilom (Mango) Ave. and the Gorordo Ave. to Archbishop Reyes Ave., which was moved there instead of the old Mango Ave. corner Gorordo Ave. in the corner along Colegio dela Immaculada because when Sacred Heart moved to Canduman, traffic had been decongested. If Mayor Mike doesn’t listen, traffic will be bad until he leaves office in two years and he would have no legacy to leave behind. Like it or not, flyovers have declogged our traffic infested intersections and Mayor Mike Rama doesn’t have the luxury of time!

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