- 23 hours ago
From funding setbacks to public safety and environmental concerns—here’s what’s making headlines in Cebu:
🚌 Cebu BRT faces a $84.9M funding cut amid project delays
🛡️ Metro Cebu ranks among the Philippines’ safest areas
⚠️ Medical waste discovered along a roadside in Bogo City
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🚌 Cebu BRT faces a $84.9M funding cut amid project delays
🛡️ Metro Cebu ranks among the Philippines’ safest areas
⚠️ Medical waste discovered along a roadside in Bogo City
Get the full story, context, and insights—straight from the source.
🎥 Tune in LIVE on Beyond the Headlines today
💬 Join the conversation. Ask your questions. Stay informed.
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NewsTranscript
00:16Good afternoon and welcome to Beyond the Headlines where we go beyond impressions and into what they really mean for
00:22our daily lives.
00:24I'm DJ Moises. Today's headlines out of the entire province of Cebu, improper waste disposal of medical waste sparks concern
00:34in Bogo, national funding of $84.9 million cancelled for the Cebu bus rapid transit as delays persist, and despite
00:45it all, Metro Cebu ranks among the safest destinations in the country.
00:51Three stories, three directions, one reality we need to understand starting today.
00:59First story, the risk we left on the road.
01:03In Barangay Cogon, what should have been a routine road clearing uncovered something far more dangerous.
01:12Used syringes, medical waste, discarded in the open, where people pass, where children play.
01:21This is a breakdown of responsibility because medical waste are supposed to be tracked and regulated.
01:29They are supposed to be handled with every care and with every step of its way.
01:36And yet somehow, it ended up in the roadside.
01:40No suspects, no working CCTV, just risks left behind for the public to deal with.
01:49So the moment actually we read about this news, among the things that would immediately jump out of our heads
01:58or our minds is, again, as mentioned, medical wastes are supposed to be the most regulated waste streams.
02:08So failure here means failure in the entire chain.
02:13And just for perspective, we gathered here and beyond the headlines certain regulations that should have been covered in handling
02:20these syringes and other medical waste.
02:24So, for example, they need to be stored in a secure designated area.
02:28Obviously, that's non-compliant.
02:31They should be transported by licensed medical waste handlers.
02:37Obviously, they may or may not have been licensed, but the fact that they just left this medical waste in
02:44the open, it doesn't speak well about their understanding of the requirements.
02:49But there's actually one part here when I read this particular requirement that can be a good opportunity for law
02:58enforcers to actually check.
03:01Because the fact that they are traced, then it should be a knowledge, it should be an available information for
03:09them to know who disposed them, just in case they were using subcontractors to do it.
03:16No, because these are clear violations.
03:18And when I read about the news, they said that because there was no CCTV, they don't know exactly who
03:23dumped them.
03:24But if at least they were compliant to their requirement that these medical waste should have been properly tracked, then
03:34at the very least, they should know who made this violation, even in the absence of CCTV.
03:40So this is the input that we can also give to law enforcers in Bogo to close this particular case.
03:48The other thing which is important also for our viewers to understand, and this is in the context of not
03:57sowing panic, but actually for us to at least encourage more due diligence on the part of the citizens.
04:03Because if this can happen in the open, it raises even a bigger question.
04:07So this is not just about medical waste.
04:10Because if this can happen in the open, then the question here is, what are the things also, what else
04:18is happening that we're not seeing?
04:21So this is a good practice, at least, because those who saw the waste immediately reported them.
04:31And for now, because we don't have that much CCTV around, and obviously with this particular case, enforcement is also
04:41not yet a strength in that area.
04:43So it's important also for citizens like us to have due diligence on what's happening around us.
04:49And finally, my final commentary on this particular story is, I'm sorry, but also I will have to say that
04:55this is a failure disguised as a one-time incident.
05:01I will have to say that observation.
05:04And we are open here in Beyond the Headlines in Sunstar for other commentaries, if you disagree with that statement.
05:12Because, and the context why I made that commentary, because among the requirements also for medical waste such as this
05:19is, there's going to, there's supposed to be a waste generation lag, transport manifests, and disposal certificates.
05:28So I think the area here that the city of Bogo and the law enforcers of Bogo could actually dispute,
05:38what I just said, is if they can produce transport manifests and disposal certificates.
05:46And again, like what I said before, if they can produce these two, then we will also know who committed
05:54such violation.
05:56So again, the context here is not to sow panic.
05:59The context here is not actually to, for us, to finger point.
06:02The context here is, for a change, we use our existing mechanism to prevent such thing from happening.
06:09But if they occur, at least we know who.
06:14Now we move to our second story.
06:17And we are talking about the project that could not keep up.
06:21So this is the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit.
06:24More than a decade after it was approved, the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit is now facing another hard reality.
06:31As we know previously, World Bank withdraw their support of the project.
06:38And now the national funding has also been canceled.
06:43And we're referring to the 84.9 million national funding.
06:49So, not because, and it's canceled, not because it's not needed.
06:55Obviously, they are needed.
06:56If we are to see that there are less congestions happening on the street.
07:02And this is not mainly because we already have the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit.
07:07This is, in my opinion, and you can disagree if you want, this is largely because of fuel price hikes
07:15that becomes more and more pronounced as far as commuters and also even those driving their own cars.
07:23So, when we say the roads are better or the traffic conditions are better, we cannot immediately attribute that to
07:29CBRT.
07:29I think the most attributable cost for that is the difficulty already for people to support their day-to-day
07:36commuting expenses.
07:37And it's not canceled also because the fund, the 84.5 million dollar funding was canceled mainly because it wasn't
07:50used.
07:51And as we can see, this is the same factor also that the World Bank stated why they were, why
07:58they decided to withdraw their support for packages two and three.
08:03So, common pattern, whether we're talking about national funding or whether we're going to talk about World Bank funding.
08:11So, after years of planning, only a fraction of the project has been completed.
08:17And I'm referring to the 2.38 kilometers from Cebu, South Bus Terminal until Fuente Osmenia.
08:28And if we recall, we already paid 90% of the $1 billion cost of this project.
08:37So, this is about over $900 million already paid.
08:41And while we appreciate the paving of the road and the removal of the islands,
08:50So, that means we now have a full-blown four-lane road, no?
08:57Two up and two down.
08:59No, three up.
09:00If I'm going to look at it now.
09:02Yeah, it's three up and three down.
09:04But the two was actually taken supposedly as a dedicated lane.
09:09And so, if we are seeing better flow around that area, it doesn't necessarily mean it's because of CBRT.
09:18But less and less commuters are actually around because some people are also working from home now or in compressed
09:24work week.
09:25And by the way, this project also did not address the usual question.
09:29We are thankful that we have new buses, no?
09:32The last report that we had, there are already 17 new buses that are applying this route, which is good.
09:38No, it's a positive development.
09:40But it does not specifically address the rapid part of CBRT because beyond Cebu, South Bus Terminal going south, it's
09:53already a mixed lane.
09:54So, the bus is subject to the traffic condition in that area.
09:59And then beyond Fuente Osmeña Circle, the buses will also go through a mixed lane, which are also subject to
10:08traffic conditions.
10:10So, for us to say that they are rapid, it's potentially, it's largely potentially a misnomer.
10:16So, key phases have not begun.
10:18So, that actually also explains procurement delays.
10:23We've also guested several leaders already in the show.
10:29And all of them confirmed that the right-of-way issues were not still addressed.
10:36And the reason why these buses will eventually, beyond the 2.38 kilometer stretch, which is, by the way, can
10:45be walked by foot, no?
10:47If we just have to look at it.
10:52So, I'll go into that comment, which also comes from our audience.
10:59But going back to this particular thought lang sa, so, bobitaon ni siya nga kanang mumix lanes siya, eventually, beyond
11:07the 2.38 kilometer stretch.
11:09It's mainly because two lanes namang puning ang mga dalan.
11:13So, there's no way, actually, for them to be on a dedicated lane for Cebu Bus Rapid Transit.
11:22So, supposedly, we gathered from the several leaders that we guested,
11:25katun tong mga properties sa dalan, they're supposed to be bought.
11:29Because the roads will have to be widened.
11:31And, obviously, even if this is already over a decade, including planning, nothing has been done in that area.
11:41So, this finding from the national government, and I think this is also part of the feedback of the World
11:46Bank,
11:46which is the right-of-way issue and the gaps in execution, is no longer a surprise.
11:52And so, the deadline is already out of reach.
11:55This is supposed to be felt by everyday Cebuanos in 2026.
12:01That's the stretch deadline already.
12:02And, obviously, if not for the fuel price hike, this is not delivered at all.
12:09So, the question is no longer whether we can design big projects.
12:13So, I'm referring to the national government because, as of this time, it was also confirmed that this has not
12:18yet been turned over to the city of Cebu.
12:21This is still in the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation.
12:24So, the question actually here is, can we design big projects such as this one?
12:30And the next question, which is more important, do we actually have the capability to deliver them?
12:37So, few comments on this particular issue aside from those that I have already stated.
12:44So, this is not just about partial completion.
12:48I know that we're thankful because at least there's already 2.38 kilometers.
12:52But let's not forget that this is a 13-kilometer stretch.
12:56So, the 2.38 kilometers that we have right now can be tagged as underperformance.
13:03That's 2.38 kilometers out of 13 kilometers.
13:08Second is, cancelling of unused funds signals something more critical.
13:13So, we were given the opportunity.
13:17Unfortunately, we were not.
13:19And when we say opportunity, there's no question supposedly about funding.
13:23There's funding from the national government.
13:25There's also funding from World Bank.
13:27But we were not able still to deliver.
13:30So, this is a good point of reflection for us.
13:33When I read about the news, there was actually a comment, an optimistic comment from the executive.
13:39And I'm referring to Mayor Nestor Archiva when he said that, okay, we don't have the funding already from the
13:44World Bank.
13:44We don't now.
13:45The funding from the national government has been canceled.
13:48So, we will just pursue PPP.
13:52So, that's partnership with private entities.
13:57However, if I were a private entity, I would still look for the same thing, pattern of delivery.
14:06Because especially at this time in which money does not flow in the faucet, we have to see also that
14:12the partners that we are engaging with have due diligence if not to follow through.
14:17And I'm sorry to say, at least this is my opinion, for over a decade of this type of project,
14:24that's still a question mark.
14:26So, if we are given another opportunity in which we get funding from private partnerships, can we be more reliable
14:38this time to actually deliver?
14:40So, that the funding that we get from private entities will not suffer the same funding we get from the
14:48national budget and the same funding that we also got from World Bank.
14:52In which, they have been able to do it in town.
14:54So, that's one of the things that we need to consider before we become even more optimistic that we can
15:03partner with private entities.
15:04So, these are actually recurring problems such as procurement, right-of-way, and even staffing.
15:11Because the feedback also that was given both by the World Bank and also the national government is there seems
15:17to be nobody who is an expert enough to follow through and to manage the project from start to finish.
15:23And so, there is a predictable bottleneck.
15:27And when we say predictable, because we've already seen this even before the implementation, we've already seen this bottleneck.
15:35So, they are predictable.
15:36There's not supposed to be a surprise.
15:38But these bottlenecks also were never solved.
15:42So, this is not a project problem.
15:43It is a problem, in my opinion, about governance and also a problem with respect to continuity.
15:50I think there was a question also coming from our viewers.
15:53And maybe this is the time for me to comment on them.
15:59So, we'll go back to that topic when we wrap up this particular episode.
16:06So, now let's move to the third story, which is, at least, there's a potential for us to rejoice.
16:13And this is the image that we project.
16:16So, amid all these that are happening in Cebu province, Metro Cebu is being recognized as one of the safer
16:26places to visit in the country.
16:30So, cities like Mandawi City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Cebu City are making the list.
16:36The tri-cities are actually making the list.
16:39So, this is a sign of progress.
16:42A signal of confidence, but also a reminder.
16:46Because safety is not just based on our ranking.
16:50It is also, it has to be based on how we experience safety.
16:55It is how it's also enforced, and it's also how it is sustained.
17:02Meaning, it doesn't stop with this particular ranking, but it's supposed to be sustained over time.
17:08So, now, comments on this.
17:11So, rankings actually reflect.
17:14And by the way, this is from the WTI.
17:16And let me see, yeah, WTI, yes, it's from the World Travel Index.
17:23That's WTI.
17:24So, it reflects positive perception, which is good, but it also poses a challenge for us in Cebu.
17:34So, it's good.
17:35By the way, this ranking is a Philippine ranking.
17:38So, this is not ranked across the cities around the world.
17:42This is also not ranked across the cities around Asia.
17:46This is a ranking specific to the Philippines.
17:50So, if we are to say then that we ranked, the Tri-Cities actually ranked on the list.
17:58But I'll have to say that when we dig further, we are not even on the top 10.
18:04So, number one, in terms of the safest city in the Philippines based on the same ranking,
18:10is actually Dumaguete City.
18:12Followed by Dabao City.
18:15And then followed by Balanga City.
18:17So, this is in Bataan.
18:20And then ranking fourth is Bulacan.
18:22Fifth is Baguio City.
18:23Sixth is Puerto Princesa.
18:25Seventh is Lucena.
18:27Eighth is Naga.
18:28Ninth is Makati.
18:30And tenth is Las Piñas.
18:33So, we are not in the top 10 in the city.
18:38So, where were we?
18:39So, we are actually on the 14th to 15th.
18:43And then Cebu, if I remember correctly, ranked number 26.
18:47So, these are mid-year placements.
18:51We can say that we are competitive, but we're not exactly leading.
18:58So, that's a perspective to have.
19:01And I'm not saying that we should not be celebrating this because we're supposed to celebrate including small wins.
19:10But the way I see it is after the celebration when the confettis have already settled, I think let's also
19:17ask ourselves what's keeping us from becoming one of the top 10 safest cities in the Philippines.
19:25Because if relatively, even if we will say no nga, ah, kaninga mga cities actually are smaller compared to Cebu.
19:33But the other side of this also is they don't have as much resources also.
19:38So, balansira siya.
19:39And there are also big cities in the top 10 such as Davao, which is number 2.
19:44There's also Baguio, which is relatively big, and a busy city, which is number 5.
19:49There's also Makati, which is number 9.
19:51So, it's doable.
19:52So, this is a cause of celebration.
19:54But this is also a challenge that we need also to aspire for.
20:01Because being part of the safest places in the Philippines is worth aspiring, no?
20:07Because after becoming one of the safest places in the Philippines, we have to remember that there's also the ranking
20:13for safest Asian cities and then eventually safest global cities.
20:20So, we're actually still far.
20:22But let's celebrate this small win and consider it still as a challenge.
20:26Because safety is not what is announced, no?
20:28It is what we consistently experience on the ground.
20:34So, now to close these three stories.
20:37At one point, we can say that they seem to be separate issue, no?
20:42Because there's medical waste, there's also the CBRT, and now there's the safety ranking.
20:48But even if they are separate issues, they still point to one theme.
20:54And that is execution, no?
20:57And because whether we're talking about funding or whether we're talking about rankings or compliance to medical waste requirements, execution
21:09defines credibility.
21:13The second, there unfortunately are rules that are not followed, no?
21:19It's very sad that there are supposed to be compliance measures, but it seems like we are not complying to
21:26them.
21:27So, what else are we not complying?
21:29And then finally, projects are not completed, no?
21:33So, that means there are specific standards because this also involves financial investments.
21:39So, there should have been control and follow-through.
21:42And obviously, with this project, the standards were not also sustained.
21:47At least we see progress, no?
21:50And I'm referring to our ranking, no?
21:54So, the potential is actually there.
21:56But the real gap is not necessarily the vision, no?
22:02If we look at all three stories, obviously, I still believe that we have the right intelligence, no?
22:12As far as our leaders are concerned, no?
22:15Not just in the private sector, but also in the government.
22:18So, I don't think there's really a gap in terms of knowing what needs to be done.
22:23I think the gap here is really the follow-through, no?
22:28So, we don't lack plans.
22:31And in the same manner that we've said in the past, we also don't lack ordinances, no?
22:36What we just lack is consistency in terms of delivering them and also following them through.
22:42So, progress is visible, but discipline must be repeatable.
22:47Beyond the headlines, credibility is built on what we finish, not what we start.
22:55I'm DJ Moises, and this is Beyond the Headlines.
22:58Have a good afternoon.
23:18I'm DJ Moises.
23:19I'm DJ Moises.
23:22I'm DJ Moises.
23:26I'm DJ Moises.
23:27I'm DJ Moises.
23:29I'm DJ Moises.
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