Garganera backs USC opposition to flyovers

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, who chairs the City Council’s committee on urban planning, is also against the construction of a flyover on P. Del Rosario Street where Cebu’s oldest Catholic school is located.

“Mind you, it is one of the oldest buildings in this City and is considered to be of historical value.”

“Not only that, the location would also affect the historical sites located in the area considering that the American period infrastructures are prevalent therein,” he said.

Garganera, also a cultural and heritage advocate, said he fully supports University of San Carlos’ opposition to the flyover project.

USC, in a recent statement, opposed the construction of a 1.1-kilometer flyover encompassing portions of Osmeña Boulevard, P. Del Rosario Street, and N. Bacalso Avenue, which will also entail road widening for P. Del Rosario.

It said it will “tremendously” affect the 70-year old Dingman Building, which is listed as an Important Cultural Property (ICP), while USC itself carries a National Historical Landmark designation.

USC’s Arthur Dingman Building was constructed in 1949 and completed in 1950. Paolo Beltran designed the establishment in Beaux-Arts architectural style.

USC added that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) project will violate laws meant to protect properties with significant historical value.

“Therefore the project violates both local and international laws on heritage conservation and will only result in debasing its heritage value while showing disrespect to the structure’s uniqueness in Cebu,” it said.

Citing the project proposal, Garganera said the flyover runs counter to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

“The underpass along F. Llamas was the first case wherein there was no coordination by the DPWH, the city, and the BRT Project Implementation team which led to the further delay of the BRT project,” he said, adding that the location where the underpass was constructed was in fact one of the proposed BRT stations.

He said the first phase of the BRT runs from Capitol Site to the South Bus Terminal.

“Surely, the construction of this proposed flyover would also affect the implementation of Phase 1 of the BRT Project,” he added.

Aside from that, Garganera pointed out that more roads do not necessarily mean less traffic.

He said what the city needs is a mass transportation system and wider thoroughfares, among others.

“More roads do not mean less traffic. Such a fact is proven and tested. What we need is a mass transportation system, wider roads, less private cars, and a more intelligent traffic system. If we allow this flyover to take precedence over the facts that I have mentioned, then there’s no way for us to solve this traffic problem in the city,” said Garganera.

USC also pointed out that flyover and tunnel projects are not identified as short-and-medium term projects in the JICA roadmap study for Mega Cebu.

It said that better road design, more efficient crossing management, and implementation of mass public transit should be done instead of constructing flyovers, which should only be the last resort.

“These flyovers and tunnel projects obviously do not introduce new modes or systems of public transportation. At best, they are mere palliatives, temporary solutions to traffic problems that are then moved further from where these will be built,” USC said.

USC, through its president Fr. Narciso Cellan, has earnestly appealed to the DPWH to cease from carrying out such projects and revisit the JICA Roadmap study for Mega Cebu, “in order to be properly guided on their plans for any infrastructure projects in Cebu.”

Before issuing such a position, the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners (PIEP) - Cebu through the Infrastructure Development Council (IDC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC)-7 has also asked to put on hold the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) study on the proposed flyover projects on N. Bacalso Avenue and P. del Rosario Street in Cebu City and instead look for alternative solutions to solve traffic congestion in Cebu City. —KQD (FREEMAN)