CBRT moves forward with tighter coordination

CEBU, Philippines — After asserting that the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) is a national project beyond City Hall's power to cancel, Mayor Nestor Archival has moved forward by strengthening coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to fast-track commuter-friendly facilities.

Chairman of the Committee on Transportation of the City Council, Councilor Winston Pepito, on the other hand, is pushing for a monorail system to ease congestion in Cebu's northern upland districts.

Last Friday, the Technical Infrastructure Committee (TIC) led a joint inspection with utility providers and national agencies to assess facilities affected by the CBRT project.

As reported by the City's Information Office, representatives from various sectors identified water, power, and telecom lines that may require relocation or protection.

The inspection aimed to prevent costly delays and ensure the smoother implementation of the BRT while minimizing service disruptions.

Aside from the inspection, Archival also convened a coordination meeting with DOTr-CBRT and DPWH Region VII officials, focusing on enhancing public transport (PT) stops and commuter facilities along the CBRT routes.

He stressed the importance of safer, more convenient, and PWD-friendly access for commuters.

“By strengthening coordination among our partner agencies, we can fast-track improvements, address on-the-ground concerns, and ensure that these projects continue to benefit every Sugboanon through a more reliable and inclusive public transport system,” Archival said.

A DOTr-CBRT official told THE FREEMAN that while the World Bank loan is expiring soon, the department is determined to continue the project through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

The official emphasized that the way forward is PPP, signaling a shift in strategy to sustain the project despite financing challenges.

In the meantime, the DOTr is looking at proceeding with the PT stops and incorporating them into the CBRT framework.

Meanwhile, Pepito has formally urged the DOTr and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to study the feasibility of a monorail system linking Barangay Pit-os to downtown Cebu.

Pepito said the upland districts face worsening congestion due to rapid population growth and inadequate road networks.

He described the monorail as a sustainable "elevated rail transit system" capable of bypassing traffic, negotiating narrow and curved roads, and reducing the need for costly road widening.

His proposal comes amid frustration over the CBRT's slow progress.

“Projects like CCLEX and the SM Seaside Arena have already been completed, but the BRT remains stuck in arguments. Karon, railway na pud ta. Basta magtinabangay lang, walay imposible. Matinuod ra gyud,” Pepito said.

The CBRT was first conceptualized in the 1990s under then mayor, now Vice Mayor, Tomas Osmeña, who envisioned it as a 22.96-kilometer Bulacao-Talamban corridor.

In 2014, NEDA approved the project with P27 billion in financing supported by the World Bank and other institutions.

The CBRT was designed to be implemented in phases.

Over time, adjustments under the late Mayor Edgardo Labella and then Presidential Secretary for the Visayas Mike Dino extended the line to the South Road Properties (SRP) and Talisay, increasing its length to 34 kilometers.

The project has faced repeated delays due to right-of-way issues, political disagreements, and questions over prioritization.

The City Council recently rejected the SRP alignment over the opposition of Osmeña.

Archival, however, countered that cancellation at the local level is impossible since the CBRT is a national project.

He has vowed to inform the DOTr of the Council's move but stressed that the city remains only a beneficiary of the program. (CEBU NEWS)