‘Businessmen willing to fund master plan’

Local business stakeholders in Cebu are willing to raise funds for a comprehensive master plan.

Bunny Pages, one of the movers for a master plan, said Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who is the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board agreed on the importance of having a master plan for Cebu.

“She (Garcia) said that they could also provide the funding for it but her concern is that the local government units might not agree on the plan,” Pages said.

Pages placed the initial estimate for the comprehensive master plan from P30million to P40 million.

“ The governor’s concern is if the LGUs would not agree to the content of the plan, the money might go to waste,” he said.

Pages also cited  Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Rogelio Singson’s support of the master plan if it could get the approval of the Regional Development Council.

Singson, however, said the DPWH couldn’t provide the money for the project.

“If we also rely on the DPWH to provide the money, it would take a long time,” he said.

The master plan which was presented to Rotary Clubs and business groups in Cebu would provide for pedestrian streets, more open and green spaces, bike lanes, and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme long planned for Cebu City.

The plan will cover 13 cities and towns from Carcar in the south to Danao city in the north. The plan also includes  Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-, Talisay , Danao, Carcar and Naga. /Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya