Transport officials back PUV presence in BRT planning

Transport officials in Cebu City called for active representation of the public transport sector in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project talks.

Rafael Yap, Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom) director, said at least two representatives from the transport sector will be forwarded to Mayor Michael Rama for approval.

“It’s the mayor’s prerogative to appoint members,” Yap said during the Cebu City Transport Sector and Stakeholders Dialogue held yesterday at the social hall of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City chapter.

He said there’s already an existing resolution from the Citom board on sectoral representation. Citom officials cited City Ordinance no. 1264 in 1987 which covers representation of the private sector in Citom board.

The 1987 ordinance would also be amended to include transport groups in the representation to be appointed by the mayor.

Citom chairman Sylvan Jakosalem also agreed, saying representation from the public transport sector is needed.

“I would support that; it’s needed especially now that the increase of vehicles is 15 percent between last year and this year,” he said.

Armand de Gracia, chairman of the transport group Andar, said information relayed to them about the BRT is sparse at best. He said the Cebu City government should do a better job of doing consultations with them.

Yap, also one of the BRT project coordinators, said “there are still opportunities for the drivers to be heard particularly the social impacts of BRT.”

“There’s a lot of consultations and it’s far from over,” he said.

Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) earlier said jeepney routes passing in  major thoroughfares are shortened and restructured to avoid disrupting BRT routes.

Yap said there will be programs for the affected sectors especially to the transport groups.  “We just have to make sure any impact will be managed and addressed by the program,” he said. Citom is the BRT project coordination unit.

Yap said they’re still waiting for the final draft of the BRT feasibility study to be presented to the WB officials in October.

Last Aug. 29, the Cebu City Council approved the final BRT feasibility study draft.

The WB will assess the city’s technical and political preparedness to adopt the BRT system.

It will also approve the $211-million loan in agreement between the World Bank or the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) or French Development Agency and the national government for the BRT project. Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao