00:28Good afternoon, welcome
00:29to Beyond the Headlines. I'm DJ Moises. It's Friday the 13th, that one day when people
00:36blame the calendar for everything. And today we have two stories. Cebu moves forward as
00:42the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit or CBRT system begins operation today, marking a new chapter
00:48in public transportation for the city. And in a separate development, 10 individuals
00:53were arrested in a lodging house in Cebu City during a police operation. Now, the stories
00:59beyond the headlines. Cebu Bus Rapid Transit or CBRT hits the road today after years of
01:06delay. The initial rollout will use the 2.38-kilometer Package 1 corridor from the Cebu Bus Terminal
01:15along N-Bakalso Avenue to Osmeña Boulevard near the capital. Although the dedicated lanes are
01:22only finished in this section, the buses will run a longer route from El Corso at the South Road
01:29properties to Cebu IT Park. Because some stations and lanes are still incomplete, buses will share
01:36the road with regular traffic in certain areas. The Department of Transportation approved 30 buses,
01:43but only 17 will operate during the initial rollout. Dedicated median lanes along parts
01:50of N-Bakalso Avenue and the Osmeña Boulevard will be reserved for CBRT buses. Authorities are urging
01:59motorists to follow new traffic rules and lane assignments. Package 1 is 97% complete and the full system
02:07is expected to serve up to 34,000 passengers daily. However, future phases face funding challenges
02:17after the World Bank withdrew support for Packages 2 and 3, prompting the government to explore other
02:24financing options. On the phone is Counselor Winston Pipito who chairs the Cebu City Council Committee on
02:31Transportation Transportation. Counselor Winston, how are you? Good afternoon. Thank you for having me.
02:38Yes, thank you. We know that you were busy on the ground and now you're just having your lunch,
02:44no? But you're making time for this conversation. Yes, you're doing my lunch right now.
02:49I hope na may rampak like Cods. But anyhow, Cods, this is a welcome development because after so many delays,
03:00no? Finally, we are hitting the ground today, no? So, what does this moment represent for Cebu City, Cods?
03:10I think it's a defining moment for Cebu City. Like you said, after over a decade, officially,
03:19I started there. Actually, I started there just to experience the rollout from El Corso to Haiti Park.
03:30So, I was really happy with my experience.
03:36I would say it was a smooth ride. There was no traffic. It was a good experience for me.
03:49And some of the people there, I think the city has to do a good job and also the Department
03:58of
03:58Transportation to explain to people. There were a few people there complaining,
04:04and I went to see it and talked to me, and then I was the leader of the United States
04:10Park and
04:10the center of the United States Park, which I explained earlier.
04:15But we are all alone while the people there were no other things but this happened to me,
04:17So, overall, we're really happy. Hopefully, it's an important,
04:42And actually, Cons, it's captured to NACO because in our last conversation,
04:52it's important also for the public to understand that it can change in behavior in our lives.
04:59Gone were the days that we were door-to-door with the school bus rapid transit.
05:06I agree with you that we cannot stop where we want to stop.
05:12We have to observe the stop stations.
05:17Cons, what is your feedback also when you have a perennial comment about this.
05:24It's a 2.38 kilometers stretch.
05:27And some critics would say, this is more of symbolic rather than transformative.
05:34What did you comment with regards to this feedback also, Cons?
05:40Yeah, that's partly true.
05:43But actually, Karun, anong itabuan niya, kani nga itong sea bus,
05:48pilar niya sa katuig na gadagan from El Corso to IT Park.
05:53So Karun, ang na-add lang ni Karung Adlawa is i-allow na nato paggamit ang dedicated lane sa package
05:58one.
05:58So wala nila yung maagi nito, only the sea bus lang.
06:01So there's like a few kilometers na zero ang traffic na ma-experience sa itong mga passengers sa Sivas,
06:11sa kaning sa area sa kaning na completo na sa package one.
06:14So mauna na i-changes kayo.
06:16That's one of the major changes.
06:18Karun na nga Adlawan ay tabo na na siya access sa package one, nga dedicated lane.
06:23Number two, they've added more buses to accommodate more passengers.
06:30And three, nag-introduce ang DOTR, huwag kaning libra yung sakay.
06:35So na-libre na ang sakay nila from 6 to 9 o'clock in the morning and then 5 to
06:428 o'clock in the evening.
06:45I was hoping and I'm gonna also talk to the DOTR na unta,
06:50hindi nila sa kaning during peak hours ang libra yung sakay.
06:53Na free po lang rin nila sa the entire region sa ilahang operation.
06:57And I was told guys, maabot na siya for a year ang kaning na libra yung sakay.
07:04I guess dipindi niya sa kung ano, kanong sa umuluntan niya ang program ng libra yung sakay sa DOTR.
07:08Pero ang initiative ng buwan niya niya siya.
07:11So hopefully ma-conference na ito sila na nili lang ang peak hours ang free, ang tibok siya na unta.
07:17But by the way, thank you for mentioning that cons.
07:20Because yeah, I also read from some of the reports na libra niya siya for one year,
07:26which is already a big help.
07:27Because kaning libra yung sakay, it starts from Il Curso up to IT Park.
07:31Cons, no? For C-Buff?
07:32Oh, yes.
07:34So this is a big help.
07:36The other thing, but also cons, do you think it was also a big help?
07:41It was also launched today, which is a Friday.
07:44And then, ni coincide sa Katubitaong Circular that was released by Malacanang
07:51about the four-day work week, which usually impacts the Friday of each week.
07:56Did it also help, cons?
07:59I don't think so, guys.
08:00Sa Cebu, wala mangkai na siya na kuandere.
08:02Sa Atong City, wala mamut.
08:04Kami nag-work kaman could be five days a week.
08:07Also, kami mga cons, niya.
08:08Like, I work 24-7, so...
08:12Okay, so I think...
08:13As you continue, cons?
08:14So what happened there is, like, last month, we sent a letter to Malacanang, asking them
08:20to prioritize this project.
08:22We asked for funding and to make this project a national priority.
08:28And I told the president, nga, this will be his legacy, mag-humanisa within his term.
08:35So, and that's why the DOTR told me, nga, they're, like, pressured to do something about
08:43the BRT, nga, for the completion, and also for the launching of this project.
08:51So, mga to last month, the DOTR told the public, nga, mag-start to garong-mars ang BRT.
09:01So, I'm...
09:02So, I'm good, eh.
09:03Tabo, yun.
09:03Garong-mars, yun.
09:05And thank you for initiating, also, or being part of those initiating that conversation,
09:10cons, to actually push for the implementation.
09:13So, to close this, kanang conversation lang, cons, for now, ba?
09:17Because I know that we also have challenges for packages 2 and 3, no?
09:22As mentioned in the intro, kanil, withdraw naman ang World Bank in terms of finding these
09:28packaging.
09:29So, when do you think, cons, ang Cebuanos can actually see the full implementation and
09:35also the full experience of CBRT?
09:40Ayaw, ayaw punta, masugdan ang, ang, ako, an...
09:45Nganta na natin, pakita d'ako, nga significant nga...
09:50Ng, nga...
09:52sa...
09:52And before mo in among term...
09:54Hopefully, onta, ang, ang ako, ang tanganganahan, John, is
09:56mahumanis sya onta, before sa ako ang first term.
10:00So, I'm not gonna keep making follow-ups, John,
10:04para ma-ç©€rican.
10:05Anyway, we have until September.
10:07Kaysa September man, mo,
10:08mo withdraw ang funding sa koto, o un initiative sa World Bank.
10:12so we're doing a lot of things
10:15na nating kamuta sa ito
10:16ang lot acquisition
10:17so
10:18ito na ni Kadlao
10:19nga nga ito
10:19ang DOTR
10:20and some city
10:22departments
10:23na mag-undersee
10:24the solution
10:25sa mga kadalanan
10:26na ito
10:26na piktuhan
10:28sa widening
10:29na gipalit
10:29gipayaran
10:30na ilham mga properties
10:31para masugdan na
10:31o ganang clear
10:32ang katong area
10:33kaya para
10:34after anyang
10:35ito ang September
10:37na deadline
10:39sa World Bank
10:40then if naana
10:41tayo additional funding
10:42ready na ang
10:43ito ang kasada
10:44kayo maumanin
10:44nakapadukay kayo
10:45ang road widening
10:48so thank you
10:49kay Consa
10:49for making a follow
10:50through on this one
10:51and just like
10:52what I've also mentioned
10:53the last time
10:54you guested here
10:55you are also among
10:56counselors
10:57na time bound
10:58meaning you're very
10:59conscious
11:00you will really
11:01add value
11:01within your terms
11:03so salamat kayo
11:03Cons for the follow
11:04through
11:05and thank you
11:07for joining us
11:08today
11:08thank you
11:10so that was
11:11yeah
11:11Babay Cons
11:12so
11:13that was
11:15okay
11:15so
11:16that was
11:17counselor
11:17Winston Pipito
11:18and he currently
11:19chairs the
11:20Cebu City Council
11:21Committee
11:21on
11:22Transportation
11:23now
11:24earlier this morning
11:25ang atuapong
11:26Sunstar
11:27correspondent
11:27si April
11:28Blanche
11:29Cabaniel
11:30si
11:33that usually
11:34happens
11:35during a live
11:35show
11:36and I think
11:38I will have to
11:39introduce him
11:39to you
11:40that's Mark
11:42but what he's
11:43trying to do
11:44and I will
11:45do my best
11:46also to work
11:47with him
11:47so that he can
11:48do this better
11:49is because
11:51earlier today
11:52we also have
11:53Sunstar
11:54correspondent
11:55April Blanche
11:56Cabanyog
11:57and she was
11:59on the ground
12:00to take some
12:01footage
12:02and then
12:03which we will
12:04show to you
12:04today
12:05and then
12:06after that
12:07we will have
12:07a conversation
12:08with her
12:09so for now
12:10let's watch
12:11the footage
12:11that she was
12:12able to
12:13gather
12:14earlier
12:16during the
12:17implementation
12:17of the
12:18Cebu Bus
12:19Rapid Transit
12:48Tip
