4 business owners in Cebu City slam CBRT ‘Link to Port’ project

The ‘Link to the Port’ feature will start from the intersection of P. Del Rosario and a portion of Osmeña Boulevard, continuing to MJ Cuenco right in front of Plaza Independencia. Photo credits: CBRT/Facebook

CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least four business owners have expressed their opposition to the proposed ‘Link to Port’ project of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT).

In separate position papers submitted to the City Council dated June 17, 19, 20, and 21, the business owners voiced their concerns regarding the negative impact the Link to the Port project would have on their establishments.

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The copy of letters were included in the Council’s regular session on Wednesday, June 26 which were written by MyJoy, Best Buy Mart Inc., All Pet Supplies, and Metro Retail Stores Group, Inc.

Their primary concerns focused on the extension of the sidewalk by 1.2 meters, bike lanes with bollards, and the one lane road.

The CBRT Management recently unveiled a sneak peek at a conceptual image of the potential look of the ‘Link to the Port’ feature of the project, which will start from the intersection of P. Del Rosario and a portion of Osmeña Boulevard, continuing to MJ Cuenco right in front of Plaza Independencia.

MyJoy

Ingrid Gamboa, MyJoy’s (fast food chain) representative, who wrote their letter on June 17, said that based on their “decades of experience of the downtown Cebu” any “extra walkable space” in front of their establishment is usually utilized as sleeping quarters by “vagrants” and selling areas by street vendors. This would end up covering their store front.

Gamboa said that they often experience such situations during Sinulog, and regularly “on a daily basis.” They also argued that that existing sidewalk space is “more than enough” for the downtown goers.

They suggested that instead of extending the sidewalk, the contractors can “enhance” it “to give it a sense of old Cebu.”

They also saw that the bike lanes with bollards implemented by some “LGUs and private estates” were not that successful and “not effective.”

As for the one lane road, they said that the proposed plan would only make Osmeña Boulevard “narrower” and “unable to accommodate deliveries, drop offs, and wholesale activities.”

“Osmeña Boulevard is a national road that should be able to accommodate massive amounts of vehicles,” Gamboa said.

Furthermore, Gamboa said that when ‘no entry’ is imposed in their area, for instance during novenas, the “foot traffic” in their store “dramatically drops.” And in case of emergencies, they questioned how the traffic would be managed with only one lane available.

“For SMEs like us, short-term sacrifices, in order to achieve long-term gains is nothing new and one we would willingly take on, if we see the potential for success. However, in the context of downtown Cebu, this forced urban enhancement effort on a major thoroughfare and its after-effects will set us back instead of mov[ing] Cebu City forward,” Gamboa said.

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Best Buy

Moreover, for Best Buy Mart Inc.’s operations manager, Pamela Go, said that “implementing a one lane policy instead of using the two lanes for vehicle traffic, removing the other lane to accommodate for a bike lane, and an extension of the sidewalk would certainly complicate things in the major thoroughfare of Osmena Blvd.”

Go added in her letter dated June 19, that Sanciangko corner Osmeña Boulevard down to Plaza Independencia “is a major business thoroughfare and is strategically located as a vital and historical economic gateway of downtown Cebu City.”

“The implementation of such project would stunt the economic activity and paralyze operation of the businesses within its scope,” Go said.

All Pet Supplies

Purita Sih, owner of All Pet Supplies, who wrote their letter on June 20, also expressed similar sentiments and points with MyJoy’s.

Sih said that “Cebu City is a big city” that needs “more accessibility” because of the large volume of vehicles every day.

“As what I understand, this area [is] to be preserved. Then why are they deciding to alter our roads?” Sih said.

“DOTR (Department of Transportation) presented their design to make these streets into a one lane per side, making the two lane streets comfortable into chaos streets,” they added.

As one of the business owners affected, Sih appealed that they “want effective roads, not making it small and uncomfortable.”

“We, the stakeholders, business owners, wish our Cebu City Government to listen to us and help us on this matter. Our future relies on our honorable Government officials. Please help us all,” Sih added.

Metro Retails Group

As for the Metro Retails Group Inc., through its Visayas regional manager, Glenda Navares, said that the proposed project will affect their three stores: Metro Colon, Super Metro-Colon, and Metro Wholesale Mart.

Navares said on their letter dated June 21, that when the Link to Port project will start its construction and implementation, it will “undeniably gravely affect the sales and income of Corporation’s stores located in the area that are very reliant to these two major roads as an access of its loyal patrons and customers and business partners.”

“[It] will eventually be hampered and/or burdened by lack or to no public transportation vehicles available, such as jeepneys, taxis, and other kind public transportation vehicle and/or private vehicles to pass through or traverse the area where the Corporation’s stores are located as it will be closed or be limited to few of vehicles only,” she said.

Furthermore, the project will also have a “physical and financial burden” to their stores’ patrons and prospect customers, given that they will have “limited access to public transport vehicles.”

Metro Retails Group also saw an “imminent reduction” of their number of employees, because of the considerable possible loss of profit of their businesses.

Lastly, they called the City Government’s vision that “business sectors are partner to the progress of Cebu City” a “false hope and failed promise.”

“It is as clear as the sun that this Cebu City Government gave false hope to the business sector, and in fact, on its face, it failed its promise to the business sector that the Cebu City Government is a reliable partner that we can rely on in obtaining business growth and achieving business success while providing sustainable economic growth for the Cebu City as a whole,” Navares added.

After citing their concerns, they suggested that the proponents can make it “simple and adopt the current situation by improving the same, such as by clearing, developing, cleaning, and maintaining the entire sidewalk in the area.”

“Removal of all the obstructions, such as the ambulant vendors along the sidewalk, redesigning the sidewalk, repairing the pavement of the sidewalk, installing lights on the sidewalk, and monitoring the proper public transportation vehicle stop in the area,” Navares said.

She added that the proposed project “will worsen the current traffic condition in the area as well as the area surrounding the said roads. as vehicles will be forced to use those roads as access to their individual destinations.”