Mass transport system pushed in Cebu, Davao
CEBU CITY - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte suggested that Cebu, Davao, and other big cities in the country should have a monorail system to address the worsening traffic problem.
The President made this suggestion during the inauguration of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) Terminal 2 on June 7.
"It behooves upon the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to improve things including traffic. It falls under his jurisdiction. And the only way the Cebuanos can escape the traffic, and maybe Davao and someday Iloilo -- they are getting progressive, is really to go to mass transport system," President Duterte said.
He added that small progressive cities may choose to have a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system as they still have enough spaces to widen their roads and make broad highways.
"For new places and small cities like GenSan (General Santos City), which has very wide highways, they can maybe choose to use ‘yung sa gitna (center lanes for BRT). But for all others like Cebu and Davao, you have to go up. Monorail or whatever, you have to go up," Duterte said.
Meanwhile, Duterte appreciated the new MCIA Terminal 2 and praised its structural design. He commended DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade for the “beautiful” project.
"It's a beautiful airport. Cebuanos are very lucky. You have the acoustics. It’s wood, it's good for music. Very lucky. And I also commend my Transportation Secretary. It is the best sight I’ve ever seen in the country. It can compare with any airport in Asia," he said.
Upon his arrival, the President led the unveiling of the Terminal 2
marker with the assistance of Tugade, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Tourism Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Legislative Liaison Sec. Adelino Sitoy, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Diño, MCIA general manager Steve Dicdican, and GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) president Manuel Louie Ferrer and board chairman Srinivas Bommidala.
Duterte's entourage include Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, and action star Philip Salvador.