Accidents blamed on barriers: CBRT exec, councilor clash over safety
Cebu City Councilor Noel Wenceslao (left) and CBRT Project Manager Engineer Norvin Imbong (right) engage in a crucial discussion over the safety of the bus lane separators along Osmeña Boulevard, following a series of road accidents that have reignited concerns about the project’s implementation. | Screengrab from Sangguniang Panlungsod Cebu City – Secretariat/Facebook
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) management and the Cebu City Council found themselves at odds over the safety of the bus lane separators along Osmeña Boulevard following a series of road accidents.
CBRT Project Manager Norvin Imbong maintained that the curb separators were properly installed and equipped with reflectorized features from the start.
“Our curb separators are reflectorized, and the two solid white and yellow lines have already been marked from Landbank to Fuente Station. They have been there for approximately eight months because even before the January Sinulog, they were already marked. I think it’s not just that the accident happened,” Imbong said.
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However, Councilor Noel Wenceslao refuted this claim. He stated that he personally witnessed the barriers being placed without reflectors, which he said contributed to recent accidents involving motorists.“My residence is in the nearby area. The barriers you placed there were installed after the incident had already happened. I was there when they were installed, and the problem was that when you put them up, they didn’t have reflectors. It was dark, which is why many accidents occurred. What you are presenting now was installed only after the incidents,” Wenceslao said.
During the council’s executive session on March 12, Wenceslao questioned the project’s execution. He argued that the lack of visibility of the barriers at night posed serious risks to drivers.
He called for improved street lighting and clearer markings to prevent further incidents.
Imbong, on the other hand, defended the CBRT’s design. He insisted that the designated lanes were marked with solid white and yellow lines, standard indicators that overtaking is strictly prohibited.
To support his stance, Imbong presented a video showing a motorcycle rider disregarding the traffic markers and crossing into the bus lane.
He stressed that the barriers were not the issue but rather the negligence of some motorists who continued to violate traffic rules.
Recurring issue
The controversy surrounding the CBRT barriers is not new. Last February, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia ordered their temporary removal after a wave of accidents was reported along Osmeña Boulevard.
At that time, Garcia explained that the barriers were initially installed to demonstrate how the exclusive bus lane would function once fully operational.
However, after multiple accidents, he directed their removal, assuring that no major resources would be wasted since the separators were designed to be movable.
This was the second time the CBRT barriers had to be taken down, following an earlier decision to remove concrete separators due to similar safety concerns.
Garcia acknowledged the challenges posed by the CBRT’s road adjustments but reiterated that the city government was working closely with the national government to ensure smooth coordination and implementation.
“You all know this is a national government project. Of course, we are the beneficiaries, and we are also trying to help and assist them in any way we can as a local government,” Garcia previously said.
Despite the removal of barriers in February, recent road accidents have reignited discussions about whether their presence is necessary or if they pose more harm than benefit.
Project progress and delays
The CBRT project, long touted as Cebu’s answer to worsening traffic congestion, has been met with both anticipation and skepticism.
The first phase, which covers a 2.38-kilometer stretch from Cebu South Bus Terminal to the Capitol, is reportedly 90 percent complete. However, further progress remains uncertain as the next phases are still pending approval from the World Bank, a key financier of the project.
Imbong confirmed that procurement for the buses is still ongoing in Manila under a public-private partnership scheme, with no definite timeline yet on when the CBRT system will be fully operational. Meanwhile, construction continues for the bus stations and additional infrastructure improvements.
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