Strict monitoring of CBRT project

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City government is closely monitoring the implementation of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project to ensure completion on time.

Roberto “Bu” Varquez, city’s project overseer, said they want the Phase 1 of CBRT project to be done by December this year.

Phase 1 is originally set for 365 calendar days starting on February 27 when the project formally broke ground. However, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. gave the Department of Transportation (DOTr) a tall order to complete the project by December as he intends to have it as Christmas gift to the Cebuanos.

“Gipaninguha ta gyud na nga mahuman…especially nga na mention ni President Marcos Jr. nga as a gift to Cebuano commuters, mahuman unta by December,” Varquez said.

According to Varquez, the contractor, Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Company, is expected to double time to be able to deliver the goods on time.

Varquez said the Chinese contractor should work double time within the next four to five months of dry season to compensate for the expected slowing down of work during the rainy season.

“…next four to five months, summer season, so this (is) where we should work overtime daan kay inig abot nimo sa September, October, November, rainy season naman na,” Varquez explained.

He said that weather condition is a big factor in road construction projects like the CBRT.

“Remember, this is a road project...unlike buildings nga maka topping na ka you can work inside, pagmag-uwan covered na ka…but in road projects, exposed ka,” he explained.

“Kami, nag monitor gyud mi’g maayo ana karon, together with atong contractor kaning the Chinese contractor, Hunan Road and Bridges Construction Corporation, and ang atoang project manager , official project manager ni sa DOTr, Kunhwa,” Varquez added.

Varquez said that Kunhwa is the one responsible for the detailed engineering of the project.

“The standards are set already under the detailed engineering nga nahimo nila nga study…Ang pag-implement ana sila say nag monitor ana nga that will be strictly followed…Remember this is a World Bank-project, ang pagka strikto sa World Bank when it comes to standards, naa gyud,” Varquez said.

The P16.3 billion CBRT project is the first of its kind in the country. — FPL (FREEMAN)