BO-PK dads ready MOA for P35M aid from DOTr

ABELLA

The administration bloc of the Cebu City Council made sure that there is enough funding for the implementation of a city greening program that will caution the impact of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project implementation on the environment.

Bando Osmeña–Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) allies passed a resolution during their August 15 session to authorize Mayor Tomas Osmeña to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and avail of the P35-million greening program allocation from the national government agency.

“Cebu City has manifested its desire to support and assist the DOTr in the implementation of the project by way of a greening program entailing the massive planting of fruit and forest trees which will help in the reduction of the negative effects of global warming and climate change and mitigate the environmental impact of the implementation of the Cebu City BRT project,” read the approved resolution by Councilor Nendell Hanz Abella.

Abella’s resolution was passed amidst apprehensions raised by Barug Team Councilor Joel Garganera and Alvin Raymond Garcia that passage of the resolution may be premature, citing still-unresolved issues on the BRT project implementation. Both abstained from supporting Abella’s resolution.

“Don’t you think that we are jumping the gun here considering the DOTr has actually put on hold the (BRT) implementation for further review? And also, because of the P6-billion increase in budget that will still have to go through the 22-committee member board chaired by no less than the President,” Garcia said during the council’s deliberation.

Abella said that in the absence of an official communication from Malacañang that the BRT has been placed on hold, city officials should pursue preparations for the project implementation starting next year.

He said that earlier reports saying that DOTr has placed the BRT project on hold will also be confirmed if their top officials would refuse to enter into MOA with the city government.

The Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) earlier identified a total of 2,182 trees along the BRT route from Barangays Mambaling to Talamban that will have to be cut or earthballed during project implementation.

City Hall and the DOTr are required to plant 50 seedlings for every non-premium tree that will have to be removed from the BRT route and 100 seedlings for each premium tree before they can be issued with a permit by Environment Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to cut or earthball these trees.