Barangay leaders join opposition to Cebu BRT City gov’t says cancellation ‘unlikely’
THE ASSOCIATION of Barangay Councils (ABC) in Cebu City has issued a manifesto expressing reservation on the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. ABC Vice-President Ramil Ayuman said not all barangay chairmen signed the petition during the second quarter assembly of the group on Monday, but they are hoping to get the signatures of all 65 barangay leaders allied with the party Barug Team Rama, a political opponent of incumbent Mayor Tomas R. Osmeña who is intent on pursuing the BRT. Cebu has 80 barangays. The manifesto came after Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd L. Dino said he will lobby for the cancellation of the project. In its manifesto, the ABC said, “The creation of mixed lanes for the BRT project in areas like Ayala Center Cebu to Talamban will shrink the road further causing more traffic as it is.” On the other hand, Mr. Osmeña brushed aside Mr. Dino’s pronouncement, saying he doubts that the National Economic and Development Authority will cancel the project. “Otherwise, Cebu will end up with nothing. I’m not worried. He (Mr. Dino) has no talent except to drive around with motorcycle escorts and a SWAT team,” the mayor said in a text message to The Freeman. Rafael Christopher L. Yap, head of the BRT Project Implementation Unit, also said the cancellation of the BRT is “highly unlikely” considering that it is one of the 40 big ticket projects presented earlier this year by the national government to China for possible funding. “We are open to dialogue on the technical and social concerns so we can correct. But we cannot ‘debate’ the project as this is already approved and ongoing implementation under the Build Build Build program of Dutertenomics,” he said. —