‘Economic gridlock’ seen: Train system must-have for Cebu - Solon

CEBU, Philippines — Metro Cebu is risking an “economic gridlock” if it fails to establish a commuter train system amid worsening traffic conditions, Cebu First District Representative Eduardo Gullas warned yesterday.

"Metro Cebu needed a passenger train system 20 years ago. That is how far behind we are now,” Gullas, former Cebu governor, said in a statement.

Gullas pointed out that trains remain the fastest way to move the greatest number of people in both short and long distances.

Gullas said he supports Udenna Infrastructure Corporation's unsolicited proposal to build, transfer, operate, and maintain a P78.9-billion monorail transit system for Metro Cebu.

“If nobody wants to build a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system for Metro Cebu, as we first proposed way back in 1996, then, by all means, let us have Udenna’s monorail,” Gullas said.

Gullas is counting on the National Economic Development Authority to act fast on Udenna’s offer, which is still under evaluation.

Udenna plans to build two lines for the monorail: A 17-kilometer central line from Talisay City to Cebu City and a nine-kilometer line from the Mactan Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City to Cebu City.

The two lines would have an interchange in Cebu City.

Once awarded, the monorail project, which already enjoys original proponent status, would be completed in four years.

Manuel Jamonir, vice president for operations of Udenna Infrastructure Corporation, said earlier the two lines which can carry 700,000 passengers a day and have a combined cost of around P80 billion.

Jamonir said they opted for monorails for Metro Cebu instead of an LRT since the roads are narrow here. Monorails, he said, are also cheaper to maintain.

Earlier, too, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino said a monorail is the right solution to the traffic problem that Cebu has been suffering for years now.

"My goal is not just to reduce the burden of Cebuano commuters but to solve the horrendous traffic that we are experiencing today," Dino said.

Dino is an advocate of the Cebu Integrated Intermodal Transport System (CIITS).

Gullas himself is author of a long-pending bill that seeks to mandate the Department of Transportation to prepare and execute a plan to establish and operate an elevated Metro Cebu LRT System.

The fastest-growing urban center outside Metro Manila, Metro Cebu groups the seven cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Danao, Talisay, Naga and Carcar, plus the six municipalities of Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Cordova, Minglanilla and San Fernando.

A study made by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2018 shows that Metro Cebu is losing at least P1.1 billion in economic opportunities every day because of the traffic problem.

The data may have already increased by now prompting local officials to support calls for a modern and efficient mass transport system to address the traffic problem. In fact, a traffic emergency was recently declared by the Cebu Provincial Board. (FREEMAN)