Rama believes PNoy may prefer LRT over BRT

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama suspects that President Benigno Aquino III may be more inclined to implementing the Light Rail Transit (LRT) the reason why the Bus Rapid Transit was deferred by the National Economics and Development Authority (NEDA) Board.

The NEDA board is chaired by Aquino and in its recent meeting, deferred the BRT due to some apprehensions from the members of the board.

In his recent visit, Aquino said the BRT project needs to be studied further before the government banks on a P10-billion project that is to be implemented here for the first time.

Aquino also insinuated that the government might just need to implement something that will cost less and already tested.

Rama said that if the President is referring to the LRT, he is reiterating his objection.

“I already made it clear to him two years ago that we are opposed to the LRT project if it shall pass Cebu City. It is okay as long as it will pass in the mountain areas,” Rama said.

He said he will not allow the skyline of Cebu City, which brags of historical and heritage sites, will  be altered by high pillars and railways.

Rama said that the best solution to traffic in Cebu is road widening, flaring of intersections, tunnel and BRT, but never LRT and flyovers.

Rama ordered City Traffic Operations Management Executive Director Rafael Yap to find out what exactly transpired in the NEDA Board meeting and why the BRT was deferred.

Earlier, Yap said the NEDA Board required the transportation and communications department to submit a Proof of Concept.

This despite the recommendation from the Investment Coordination Committee of NEDA.

Yap said he has yet to get a feedback from the DOTC, but is hearing various stories. Yap said that the World Bank – Philippines was in Manila since yesterday to follow up on the project.

He said he also wants to know so the Cebu Team would know how they can be of help in convincing NEDA that the BRT would work. —FPL (FREEMAN)