BRT: Potentially, battered rapid transit?

Finally, the Department of Transportation and Communication awarded the MCIA project to the GMRMegawide Consortium (a consortium of India's GMR Infrastructure Ltd and locally listed Megawide Construction Corp.). With the project finally awarded, we can now breathe a sigh of relief, albeit, momentarily. Yes, momentarily, because knowing fully well how our system works, the competing Filinvest Corporation will certainly move heaven and earth to stay relevant project-ownership-wise in this ongoing fracas. In fact, even on the day before it was awarded, Sen. Serge Osmeña questioned the deal before the Supreme Court.

Indeed, as has been customary, when a proposal or a deal comes along, generally, two possibilities may happen. Depending on one’s inherent biases, it is either given a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down”. Worst, locked in a fierce exchange of thoughts, protagonists and adversaries (like honest-to-goodness citizens and traditional politicians) will even go to the extent of hurling accusations or even invectives just to make their points heard.

Thus, having these experiences on hand, the same controversy may arise in some future projects in Cebu. For instance, we’ve been witnesses on what the Bus Rapid Transit project went through in the initial stages. Proponents and supporters were all at it countless of times. As has always been, while BRT advocates underline its cost and ease of implementation, jeepney operators and some of their supporters claimed that jeepneys, aside from being inexpensive, are still the best option. This is so, they stressed, because they pick you up wherever you may be, thus, is so convenient. Distorted it maybe, logically, remember, they are still voters and politicians do recognize that.

Then, in November, 2012, we were a bit elated as Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya revealed an encouraging pronouncement. He said then during the EJAP Economic Forum 2012 that “plans are afoot for a BRT in Cebu City, with construction expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2013.” Bragging that it shall be the “the first of its kind in the Philippines,” he then said that the BRT ‘would be patterned after those in Bogota, Colombia; Curitiba, Brazil; Seoul, South Korea; and Guangzhou, China.” And if our memory won’t fail us, it was the first time we heard about the extent of the Cebu BRT project. That it shall “have 176 buses that will run through dedicated and exclusive bus-ways from Bulacao to Talamban, with a link to the South Road Property.” He further said that the “project would have 33 stations located 23 kilometers apart from each other”. Moreover, he said that “the buses will also traverse Cebu City’s Central Business District, residential areas, shopping centers and key tourist sites.” And that “the service will benefit 330,000 passengers a day when it starts operations in 2015.” Then, sadly, a few weeks later, the National Economic Development Authority board decided to defer action on Cebu City’s BRT project due to the lack of a “proof of concept”. What was therefore envisioned to address the worsening traffic problems in Cebu City has continued to gather dust.

Then, just as we thought the project will perpetually hibernate, last week, DoTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said “they would request within the month the NEDA board to approve the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit project. This time, with “proof of concept” on hand showing that the Cebu BRT is feasible.

Despite these advantages, however, some sectors are just so apprehensive, not on its future commercial operation but during construction. We can’t blame them. The fact was, about two years ago, after years of countless debates and months of sleepless nights evaluating the pros and cons of the project, the World Bank-funded team released the result of its feasibility study for the BRT. Unfortunately, they emphasized four risks. Out of these, however, the perceived corruption concerns seemed to be the most serious and imminent. Despite a consultant’s insinuation that the public’s attention and the participation of NEDA might mitigate the risk, history tells us that the probability that corruption will take much of the pie is still as clear as daylight.

Therefore, expect that along the way, it wouldn’t be a smooth ride for the Cebu BRT project. Remember, in a country where project delays (remember, this was supposed to start in the fourth quarter of 2013) seemed to be the order of the day and controversy has become the norm, the possibility that the BRT won’t become a bus rapid transit but a battered rapid transit is still a possibility.

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