Construction of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project along Osmeña Boulevard as of May 11, 2024. | Photo from Cebu Bus Rapid Transit
CEBU CITY, Philippines – If things go accordingly, civil works for the trunk line of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) may be completed next month.
The World Bank, in a recently disclosed report, stated that Package 1 of the P29-billion project has already achieved a progress of 64 percent, and may be “substantially completed” by August this year.
Package 1 refers to the trunk line of the transportation system that connects Cebu South Bus Terminal to the Cebu Provincial Capitol via Osmeña Boulevard.
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It was initially targeted to be completed between June and July this year.
On the other hand, the same Implementation Status & Results Report stated that project proponents have started procuring a contractor for Package 2 of the BRT.
In turn, they expect construction for Package 2, which covers South Road Properties up to Brgy. Mambaling via N. Bacalso Avenue may start this October.
“Resettlement Action Plan for the Civil Works Package 2 has also been approved by the World Bank and disclosed,” portions of the seven-page report read.
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World Bank is the lead financial grantor in implementing the Cebu BRT, the first public mass transport project in Cebu.
But due to multiple delays, including various changes in its design, it remained in the pipeline until February 2023 when actual construction began.
In the meantime, the World Bank also gave a slightly better rating on the project’s progress on achieving its goal – which is to improve the over-all performance of the urban passenger transport system – from moderately unsatisfactory to moderately satisfactory.
In terms of its overall implementation progress, the Washington-based lender maintained a moderately satisfactory rating. /clorenciana