Plans for the future of mass transit in Cebu

Now it can be told, why all of a sudden, Department of Health  Secretary Enrique Ona went on sick leave. But now the truth has surfaced -- the Health Secretary isn't really on sick leave but is being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation in connection with the purchase order made by Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag of vaccines dubbed PCV 10 instead of the cheaper PCV 13. As of press time, we still have to find out the bottom line of this case, why all of a sudden a Cabinet member of the Aquino Regime is in hot water.

Knowing how the propaganda oriented Aquino Regime openly lies to the Filipino people, we'll have to get in between the lines as to why Sec. Ona had a falling out with his President. Already people are suspecting that these vaccines may have been loaded with an agent that could sterilize children, but these are mere suspicions. Another rumor was that Sec. Ona's falling out was to pave the way for DOH Undersecretary Janet Garin to take over his post. Usec. Garin was a staunch and very high profile pro-Reproductive Health (RH) Law who is well respected by Pres. PNoy. Abangan!

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I was surprised that my good friend, Rep. Raul del Mar, made the headlines of The Freeman last Monday regarding his House Bill no. 5142 which asks the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct feasibility and detailed engineering studies and acquisition of sites where skyways can be constructed in the North District of Cebu City. I have to hand it to Rep. del Mar for not being discouraged when the group that calls itself Livable Cebu Movement shot down his overpasses.

Three weeks ago, during a Mega Cebu Conference with Cebu's political leadership, Sir Bobby Aboitiz presented Gov. Hilario Davide III, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Cordova Mayor Ade Sitoy together with almost all Cebu congressmen and civic society with a power point presentation that showed all the approved infrastructure projects of the National Economic Development Authority  with a huge banner screaming across saying "None for Cebu." As we've been harping for the last four years under Pres. Benigno Aquino III, Cebu got nothing… and I'm sure that our political leaders felt very small before that very frustrated albeit nearly indignant audience in RAFI.

So at least this piece of good news means that Rep. Raul del Mar was finding out ways to solve our future traffic problems. I'm glad he is doing that! He also filed House Bill No. 5141 for a proposed subway system for Cebu City that he presented to DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson. So the big question is… is Cebu City ready for a subway system? Rather than criticize this proposal, I would prefer to embrace the study, after all, the biggest problem that DPWH always faces is Road-Right-of-Way  problems. With a subway system, that problem is totally eliminated from the equation.

If you ask me, if Singapore has a subway system, why shouldn't we have one in Cebu? Of course, that study would have to include where this subway should be passing through. Finally, there's the issue of who would pay for the bills? If we're getting a subway system, it's going to cost the government a lot of money. So who will foot the bill?

That's exactly what we did yesterday when we joined the Metro Cebu Development & Coordinating Board and the Ministry for Land Infrastructure & Transport and Tourism of Japan, which hosted a Joint Seminar for Urban Transport Systems for Metro Cebu. Sir Bobby Aboitiz, chairman for Mega Cebu gave the opening remarks, bringing with him, the hopes of Cebuanos for a better mass transportation for Metro Cebu.

I also met with Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy with whom I had a chat and he told me that he had already abandoned his plans for the transfer of the Mactan Airport to Cordova. But I told him that he must use that part of Cordova to create the biggest port of Cebu to handle cargo traffic, which has increased in great volumes. Also I mentioned to him that he must create a new road network with 8-lane roadway to create the new city of Cordova, which is just a short bridge crossing from Cebu City.

Finally, I convinced him that the 3rd Cebu Mactan Bridge should copy what they have in Japan or in New York where cars can spiral upwards to the height of the new bridge and it can spiral down… just like when you park in SM City -- but twenty times larger. Mayor Ade Sitoy said he would adopt this plan and suggest it to the proponents of the new bridge. Meanwhile, I met Rep. Raul del Mar during the conference and I told him that the subway system was perfect for Cebu, except for the major question as to who would foot the bill for this subway system?

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