Cebu City execs to answer Dino’s BRT claims
Fernandez
CEBU City Hall officials will be answering point-by-point the arguments of Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino on the feasibility of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
According to Francisco Fernandez, executive assistant of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the city’s answer will be in response to the letters written by Dino addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte and other concerned government agencies recommending the cancellation of the BRT project.
Mayor Osmeña, Fernandez and city administrator Nigel Paul Villarete met with DOT officials led by undersecretary Thomas Orbos and assistant secretary Arnold Fabillar at City Hall on Thursday afternoon to discuss the project as well as the issues surrounding it.
“We justified to DOTr that BRT is very important as a traffic solution. There are already bilateral commitments with World Bank, with the French government. We cannot just cancel it,” Fernandez said.
They also explained that a BRT system is better than a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, which is being pushed by Dino as the latter is more expensive to construct.
To operate a train system is also very expensive and highly subsidized, he added.
But Fernandez clarified that the city government and Mayor Osmeña will not oppose an LRT project in Cebu, regardless if it is the national government undertaking it or a private proponent, as long as the city government will not have to subsidize the system.
“We don’t think it’s wise for even the national government to do it. But the city will not object,” he added.
Fernandez said that the operation of the BRT system will not need subsidy from government. It is also flexible and that the routes of the buses can be adjusted or changed in case its original route will be affected or not passable.
On the other hand, once there are problems with an LRT’s line, it cannot be easily changed or diverted.
“They (DOTr) seem satisfied with our verbal answer. What they want us to do is to put it down in writing and submit it to DOTr,” Fernandez added.
Villarete, an engineer and urban planner, will be the one doing the written answer.
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