Osmeña, Gullas on LRT update: Bus, light rail can co-exist

CEBU, Philippines — While he is not against the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will not allow the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to be cancelled to accommodate the LRT.

“Well, we have for other groups allowed them to do their study. Just to identify the consortium doesn’t mean anything to me. The other group has presented themselves. It’s my duty to listen to everything. But let me tell you my reservations. I think they are just looking for an excuse to cancel the BRT. I will not allow that to happen,” Osmeña told reporters yesterday.

He said the LRT and the BRT can co-exist and Talisay Mayor Eduardo Gullas agrees with him.

Gullas was the first to push for an LRT in Cebu in the 1980s during his last term as governor of Cebu.

"If I were the mayor of Cebu, I would really opt for BRT," he said.

But he said he is glad that the LRT will finally see the light of day, describing it as “the crying need of the hour” because of the massive problems in traffic Cebu faces.

"I am happy that construction is expected to start by early next year," he told The FREEMAN.

“We should have started it decades ago. Have it started, we could have avoided the worsening traffic problem now,” he said.

Last weekend, Chris Kou, representative of the consortium that will undertake the LRT project, released a press statement saying that they are expecting to complete the process with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) this year and that they expect to start construction by early next year.

Osmeña said he will not block the implementation of the LRT, which will run from Carcar City to Danao City.

It has been reported that the proposal is to build an elevated LRT with a subway section at the central business district of Cebu City.

The mayor, though, expressed his reservations for the P155 billion LRT.

Among his reservations are the several unanswered points about the operation, management, and maintenance of the project.

While the LRT is at no cost to the national government, Osmeña said the consortium should present all details of the study, especially the fares that will be incurred by passengers.

The mayor believes that the consortium cannot finish identifying the lots that will be affected by the project this year, considering that lot acquisition will undergo negotiation.

“They’ll do that in one year? Of course not. But, whatever, maybe they’re Superman. But I have a responsibility. There’s also another issue. They’re going to spend P150 billion at no cost (to the government). Nindot. What about the cost to the passengers? How much will the fare be?” the mayor said.

Osmeña said he also has to see the “alignment” of the LRT if it is in conflict with the BRT, which will run from Barangay Bulacao to Barangay Talamban. He said there is no need to cancel the BRT if the LRT’s alignment is somewhere else.

The mayor reminded DOTr that it is the agency’s job to fulfill the bilateral agreement with World Bank and other creditors to implement the project, especially that the Commission on Audit (COA) has already called the attention of the government on the delay of the implementation of the BRT.

One of the differences of the BRT and LRT is that the BRT can be fixed by ordinary car mechanics in the city while the LRT needs foreign mechanics to fix it, the mayor said.

He also said that the LRT cannot be rerouted compared to BRT’s buses, which can change routes anytime.

Osmeña said he is certain that the BRT will offer cheaper fares compared to the LRT.

The mayor said the consortium has to undergo a “long process” to get approval from several national government agencies, citing the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, which took six years to implement after the project was approved.

“By next year, we’ll have the LRT. I’d like to believe that. Why not? They’ve never been through this. I’ve been through this 10 times already. Maybe they’re better than me,” the mayor said.

Osmeña said the public should also consider that the MRT 3 in Manila costs P9 billion a year to operate with a total of P3 billion as income a year, saying that it’s a loss of billions to the government’s detriment.

The major public transportation will be first class while private transportation will be second class once BRT will be operational.

BRT’s construction is expected to commence next year once all properties affected in the lot acquisition will be purchased by the government.

If the government will spend P150 billion, Osmeña suggested it should be spent to implement the BRT and for road widening where the buses will traverse.

“So they have to get approval of everybody including Cebu City. But I won’t block it. All I’m saying is I will not withdraw the BRT. I don’t see any reason until it’s very clear to all of us that this is a viable alternative,” the mayor said. — With May B. Miasco (FREEMAN)