Photo courtesy of Sugbo News
CEBU CITY, Philippines — After several delays, the long-awaited Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) finally broke ground on Monday morning, Feb. 27, 2023, after more than a decade since it was first envisioned.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) led the lowering of the time capsule during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit Project – Package 1 at the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda in Cebu City on Monday morning, Feb. 27, 2023.
The President was joined by Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, other government officials, ambassadors, stakeholders and contractors.
Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is credited as the brains behind the P17-billion mass transport project, however, was not seen during the ceremonial groundbreaking.
READ: Rama on BRT groundbreaking: ‘I wish Tommy Osmeña will be there’
CBRT is one of the national government’s flagship infrastructure projects designed to improve the overall performance of urban passenger transport system in Cebu City.
Phase 1 of the project, which covers the construction of a 2.38 kilometer Segregated Bus Lane with four bus stations and 1.15 kilometer of pedestrian improvement linked to the Port of Cebu, is expected to be fully operational by 2nd quarter of 2025.
A scene during the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Cebu BRT, Monday morning, Feb. 27, 2023.|Wenilyn Sabalo
In his keynote speech, PBBM assured Cebuanos that the BRT system had been planned thoroughly and had undergone studies by the national and local governments of Cebu.
PBBM also urged Cebuanos to remain “patient and considerate” as the disturbances that would happen once the civil works of the project start would only be temporary.
He also encouraged Cebuanos to instead to look at the project’s long-term benefits to the city and to Cebu Province.
“As we begin this project, I know that there will be slight inconveniences and traffic congestion as if Cebu does not have enough, but we will have to accommodate the construction process for the greater benefits that will come in the future,” he said.
PBBM also commended the DOTr for initiating the first BRT in the Philippines.
“As usual, nag-una na naman ang Cebu. Cebu once again leads the way. We will not be here without their dedication, their hard work, and persistence in this endeavor,” he added.
(As usual, Cebu again is the first one to do this. Cebu once again leads the way. We will not be here without their dedication, their hard work, and persistence in this endeavor.)
He also expressed gratitude to the World Bank and the French Development Agency for helping the country realize the BRT project.
The BRT project costs P16.207 billion as approved by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in 2017.
The Phase One has a budget of at least P900 million.
READ MORE: President Marcos to DOTr chief: Ensure just compensation will be given to affected lot owners
The fund source include the World Bank, French Development Agency, and the Philippine government.
Marcos also thanked the contractor of the Phase One of the BRT project, the Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Corp. Ltd., for working with the government for this CBRT.
He also expressed confidence that the contractor can deliver their promised target completion dates.
“I know that I have seen the work that they do at maasahan natin (we can depend on them) that when the [DOTr] secretary assures us that we will start of operations by December I think that they will be able to do it on time as their records speak for itself,” he said.
“I think that we, in fact, start operations in December, that will be the possible best Christmas gift that we can give to Cebu,” he said.
The target partial operability of the CBRT Phase One is by the fourth quarter of 2023 and the full operability is by the second quarter of 2025.
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