DINO
“BE transparent.”
This was the challenge thrown by Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña in the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a P16-billion project that aimed to replace passenger jeepneys with buses in major routes in Cebu City.
In a statement, Dino claimed that Osmeña did not reveal all the salient details about the BRT project to the public.
“The public has the right to know how BRT can solve or worsen the traffic. Squid tactics have been applied by the proponents all these years to hide the truth about the project and to avoid the real issues hounding the BRT,” he said.
“In the end, the public will eventually lose since they will remain in the dark about the project and suffer in consequence. The public demands transparency because they will be paying the BRT loans and its interests,” he added.
Dino accused Osmeña of allegedly hiding documents on the project where it was stated that the road-right-of-way acquisition was not intended to widen the road but for bus depots, stations and terminals.
“The proponents believe that they can dictate public opinion only by giving the public pieces of the entire puzzle. They are playing at public perception. What is important is to make sure Cebuanos win by getting the best mass transport system for Metro Cebu,” he said.
Osmeña and Dino have been at odds over what would be the best solution to solve the city’s worsening traffic problem.
While Osmeña was pushing for BRT, Dino said it was not the best option since it would only contribute to traffic since the buses would be competing for space in the city’s narrow roads.
He, instead, was endorsing a Light Rail Transit system from the north to the south with a subway component.
Osmeña, however, said the LRT-Subway project was too expensive that to implement it would mean higher fare to cover the cost.
It would also take a long time to implement because it had yet to undergo a feasibility study while BRT was already up for implementation.
The mayor dared Dino to engage in a public debate on the matter which the presidential assistant refused to do since, he said, it would not help clear the issues.
“It is not a matter of winning or Mayor Tom winning in a debate. Neither I nor Mayor Tom is a public transportation expert. A debate between us will just become a circus and cloud the real issues instead of enlightening the public,” he said.
Instead of having a debate, Dino said he had a “better” option.
“I will give him 10 questions on BRT to answer and give him a chance so he can consult his experts,” he said.
Dino said that since Osmeña was not an expert, he could ask the mayor’s own traffic experts to explain how BRT could solve traffic when the buses would be sharing the road from Ayala Center Cebu, Barangay Banilad to Barangay Talamban where no road widening would be done in these areas.
Dino said he will soon publish 10 questions for Osmeña.
In his post on Facebook, Osmeña said he will only answer Dino’s queries in a debate.
“I will answer any question you want to ask me in a debate. I do not need to “cheat” by consulting experts because I know the answers already. It is my job to know. That is my mandate. Do you have a mandate Mr. Dino?” the mayor said.
“I promise to answer any question you have and present any document you want during the debate,” he added.
Osmeña said he wondered why Dino was afraid to be scrutinized in person and why would he be calling a debate a “circus.”
“I don’t even have to debate you. The BRT will happen no matter how much whining you do from behind your desk. But I am willing to debate you, because I have nothing to hide,” he added.
Osmeña’s post generated 647 reactions, 33 shares and 75 comments as of 9:07 p.m. on Wednesday.