Brazil to help Phl in urban planning, transport system

The Philippines and Brazil exchanged views on how to support the Philippine government’s program to enhance urban planning and how to implement the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system that works like a light rail system and provides transit between any point in the city for just a single fare.

Curitiba City Mayor Rafael Greca de Macedo received Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Marichu Mauro and her delegation during their recent visit to the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Paraná.

They discussed how the City of Curitiba can support the Philippines’ program to enhance urban planning and improve the country’s transport system.

Mauro was in Curitiba to inspect its BRT system, ahead of a Philippine congressional study visit on how the BRT may be implemented in the Philippines.

The mayor’s international relations office organized a BRT tour for the ambassador and her party to have a firsthand experience of the busbased transport system.

Curitiba’s BRT system now serves as the model BRT all over the world. Some countries that have followed the system are the United States, countries in South America, and Asia.

The BRT is a bus system that works like a light rail system but is ten times cheaper. Curitiba’s BRT is the model and source of inspiration for the TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia, TransJakarta in Jakarta, Indonesia, Metrovia in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Emerald Express of Eugene, Oregon, Orange Line of Los Angeles, California, the Strip and Downtown Express in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Transmetro system in Guatemala City, and the Metrobus systems of Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Bangalore, India.