Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road

THE 17.8-kilometer Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road is now 82% complete, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways. Spanning from Barangay Gusa in the city to Barangay Igpit in Misamis Oriental, it serves as a bypass road and is fitted with bicycle lanes.

2nd round of franchise application opens for Davao City bus routes after 2 firms fail to qualify

THE GOVERNMENT has opened another round of franchise applications for three bus routes in Davao City after two Mindanao-based companies failed to qualify. In a circular dated Aug. 5, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-Davao Region office said new applicants have until 9 a.m. of Aug. 20 to submit their documents for evaluation, which will start the same day and to be completed within seven days. The routes up for grabs under the interim bus service are Toril, Catalunan Grande, and Diversion Road. The first round of application proceedings was completed July 17, where two companies — Bachelor Express, Inc., and Davao Metro Shuttle Corp. — both failed “to comply with all the requirements,” according to the LTFRB memo signed by Regional Director Armand B. Dioso. The second round of application is open to “non-area based applicants.” The interim bus service is part of the Davao City government’s High Priority Bus System, which aims to deploy around 1,000 units, replacing 7,000 public utility jeepneys in 29 routes around the city.