Proposed Metro Cebu Subway feasibility study gets Council’s OK

DOTr’s proposed subway project/Sugbo News photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has authorized the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to conduct a feasibility study on the proposed Metro Cebu Urban Mass Rapid Transit (UMRT) or the Metro Cebu Subway.

Last July 10, DOTr Assistant Secretary Leonel De Velez presented to the City Council the plan and expressed their intent to conduct a feasibility study in Cebu City since the city would be included in the ‘central line’ of the project.

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De Velez previously said the agency would need the city’s endorsement to conduct a feasibility study so they could identify the affected areas of the UMRT.

During the Council’s regular session on July 17, Wednesday, the agency’s request was endorsed to the Council. Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, the majority floor leader, motioned for its authorization.

Pesquera was also present during the executive session last July 10 and she agreed a feasibility study would provide them a clearer vision of the project.

“There’s no harm in conducting a feasibility study, the reason we were having an executive session was also to get really what are the plans of the DOTr regarding it,” Pesquera told CDN Digital.

She said it was good that DOTr consulted the City Council to conduct a feasibility study as it meant that they valued the Council’s “comments” and the latter would be able to guide the agency as well on the plan.

“For sure, ang moconduct ana sa feasibility study will also have to look into the depthness, the structures that might be affected, as well as the inconvenience that may cause for the duration of the construction of the mass transit (Metro Cebu UMRT),” Pesquera added.

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Based on De Velez’ presentation, the Metro Cebu UMRT will have two phases which will cover two lines: central and coastal.

The Phase 1 will be the Central Line and it will cover Danao City, Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue City, Cebu City, Talisay City, City of Naga, San Fernando, and Carcar City.

Meanwhile, the Phase 2 which is the Coastal Line will include Talisay City, Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City.

He said the DOTr has access to some potential funding partners such as the Asian Development Bank as one of their resources to conduct a feasibility study.

However, it is a requirement for the DOTr to receive the endorsements of the areas that will benefit from the study.

These are some of the “pre-conditions” that the DOTr has to meet before they can allocate resources and start the study.

The Metro Cebu UMRT is a 67.5-km subway or underground passenger railway line that will connect Carcar City (southern Cebu) to Danao City (northern Cebu).

Metro Cebu UMRT aims to address “Metro Cebu’s growing transportation woes as it seeks to decongest traffic, reduce travel time, and improve connectivity through Cebu’s first underground railway system.”

The DOTr officials also met the governor last February 29 at the Capitol to present the summary of the project’s plans.