Cebu City’s business leaders are willing to raise funds to finance a transportation master plan that would provide long-term solutions to the city’s traffic congestion.
“If the government will not move, then the private sector will. But I still hope that part of the P600-million budget for flyover projects would be used for the needed master plan,” said businessman Bunny Pages.
The recently formed Stop Cebu Flyovers Movement is asking public works officials and Rep. Rachel del Mar of Cebu City’s north district to reconsider plans to build two new flyover projects.
The two projects to be built along the intersections of M. J. Cuenco and General Maxilom Avenue and Gorordo and Archbishop Reyes Avenues are scheduled for bidding this year.
Ecology lawyer Gloria Ramos said yesterday they will prepare the final draft of a petition to be filed against the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the two flyover projects.
The petition for injunction would also include a flyover project proposed in Mandaue City.
Since the flyover projects will be implemented by the DPWH, a national agency, the petition for injunction should be filed before the SC, Ramos said.
Ramos said they would cite the lack of public consultation on the projects as required under the Local Government Code and some environmental concerns as basis for their petition.
“It’s going to be an environmental case because the law now requires that all new projects should be in support of the government’s anti-climate change campaign,” she said.
Pages said in the 888 news forum yesterday morning at the Marco Polo Plaza that a master plan is what Cebu needs.
“All of us (businessmen) can contribute (to make the master plan),” said Pages.
Mayor Michael Rama said he recognizes the need for a Metro Cebu master plan.
“If the money is available and if the national government will be helping, that (Metro Cebu master plan) is something that everybody should be helping. I’m happy that the private sector now is looking for a master plan of transport system,” Rama said.
The mayor said a master plan would help in urban planning, traffic management and environmental impact assessment.
He said if the city incurred debt for the South Reclamation Project, he could not see any reason why it should not be spent on a master plan.
Rama declined to comment on whether he would initiate development of the master plan.
Pages said a master plan for Metro Cebu from Naga City in the south to Compostela town in the north would cost P25 million.
The Metro Cebu Land Use and Transport Studies (MCLUTS) 2 that would update MCLUTS 1 was completed in 1978 and remains valid until 2030.
Last Monday, Rama said he asked Pages to gather all owners of properties located along the Banilad-Talamban road to a meeting in preparation for the widening of Cebu’s northern corridor.
“I don’t know if this is doable but I am willing to volunteer to talk to the lot owners. I’m sure they would listen to the proposal because now, nobody wants to build anything in the area because of the traffic (congestion),” said Pages.
Pages said when the flyover project near Ma. Luisa Subdivision was proposed, he gathered 13 lot owners in the area whose properties would be affected by the flyover.
He said lot owners offered to sell their lands for only P5,000 per sq. meter for use in road widening as an alternative to the flyover.
But unfortunately, said Pages, the DPWH continued with the project and paid affected lot owners P15,000 per square meter for exproriating the land for road right of way.