World Bank okays funds for study of BRT

CEBU – The World Bank has approved a US$355,000, or roughly P16.8 million, technical assistance fund for the study on the Cebu City-Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

The money will be released through the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF).

Cebu City Planning and Development Officer (CPDO) Engr. Nigel Paul Villarete said he learned about this during his visit to the WB office in Manila. The PPIAF is funded by many donor countries and institutions, but chaired by World Bank.

Villarete said, the technical assistance is in response to a request made by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to World Bank on April 30 last year. 

Villarete said that the approval of the funding came quite fast, which even surprised the representatives of the WB.

The study will be conducted for a period of nine months and will be done in close coordination with another study by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), which is set for bidding next week.

Villarete said, the primary aim of the study is to check the feasibility of a BRT system, which is believed to be a more efficient mass transport system.

The WB-PPIAF funded study will cover the nitty-gritty of the existing modes of public transportation available in Cebu City and the other areas where the BRT is expected to operate.

Villarete said, “While Cebu city was the one asking for the assistance and discussing the terms of reference, we agreed with DOTC that the technical surveys and analyses should include the entire metropolitan area since a considerable portion of Cebu city’s traffic includes vehicles from other cities, we also agreed to include other corridors outside of Cebu City but these are on a need-basis, which means the sub-studies will depend on the interest of the other cities.”

So far, only Mandaue City has sent Cebu City an approved resolution indicating interest to be included in such study. 

Talisay City though is leaning towards the Light Railway Transit (LRT) proposal of Cebu First District Representative Eduardo Gullas. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)