EDITORIAL - Urgent undertaking

Barring any further delays, the multibillion Metro Cebu Integrated Intermodal Transport System (MCIITS) bannered by light rail transit (LRT) and the bus rapid transit (BRT) is projected to be operational by 2020.

This development surfaced following a recent meeting between Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino and officials of Department of Transportation and the technical service consultant for the BRT and LRT.

“LRT shall be the main transport backbone that will cover the entire stretch of the metropolis. The transport needs of Cebu are felt even beyond the metro so that this LRT system will ferry substantial number of passengers from one point to another,” Dino said.

DOTr is confident that the LRT and BRT can start construction next year. This considering the LRT is still in the proposal evaluation stage and the BRT still in engineering design stage. The LRT will be from Carcar City to Danao City while the BRT will serve as its “feeder line.”

Many Cebuanos may have been shaking their heads upon reading the news report, thinking it would be very impossible for LRT and BRT – both big-ticket projects – to be operational two years from now.

Well, of course, it’s natural for many to doubt the projects considering that the LRT and BRT have yet to break ground. For them to be feeling optimistic must stem from the fact that in this country, it takes years for such a major government undertaking to take off.

However, whether or not the projects will be operational by 2020 is not really important. What is more important is their immediate kick off for Cebuanos to feel hopeful as they look forward to eventually embracing modern transportation in the near future.

We need those projects if we want Cebu to have a world-class transportation system and solve its worsening traffic condition. Therefore, all stakeholders should consider the projects as urgent and lobby for their speedy start.