Rama: Show me LRT blueprint

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama said he wants to see a blueprint of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project proposed by 1st District Rep. Eduardo Gullas before this is presented to the Regional Development Council (RDC) 7.

Rama, who is RDC chairman, said  he wanted to make sure that the LRT project would not destroy  “old Cebu.”

“I am not saying entirely no (to the LRT project) but let  me see first how it will affect Cebu.  Will it not  destroy the aesthetic value of Cebu City?”

The mayor said he would need an  assurance that an LRT would not affect existing infrastructure and the city’s landmarks.

Rama said he supports the  Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system proposed earlier for the city because it doesn’t need new infrastructure that would destroy the city’s landmarks.

Gullas said he wanted the RDC-7 to discuss the  LRT project, which he said  would boost  economic growth of the province.

The P740-million project would traverse through the cities of Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay and down to Minglanilla, Naga City, San Fernando, Carcar City, Sibonga, Argao and Dalaguete.

Gullas said in an interview last week that he was ready to discuss the project with the RDC when Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia was still the RDC chairperson but chose to delay it to wait for the presence of former mayor Tomas Osmeña who opposed an LRT.

Gullas said it would have been “unfair” to discuss the project in the absence of Osmeña who was then Cebu City mayor.

Osmeña is  the original proponent of a BRT./Chief of reporters Doris Bongcac