- 15 hours ago
Cebu City Councilor Winston Pepito is defending the inclusion of the South Road Properties (SRP) in the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project, saying the city should not choose between the SRP and the original Bulacao–Talamban route.
Pepito argues that both alignments can coexist, with the SRP segment potentially operational sooner because the necessary road infrastructure is already in place. Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña continues to push for restoring the project's original alignment, saying the focus should remain on serving residential communities.
What do you think? Should the CBRT include the SRP while continuing work on the original route?
Pepito argues that both alignments can coexist, with the SRP segment potentially operational sooner because the necessary road infrastructure is already in place. Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña continues to push for restoring the project's original alignment, saying the focus should remain on serving residential communities.
What do you think? Should the CBRT include the SRP while continuing work on the original route?
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NewsTranscript
01:00Your perfect latte is not brushed. It is crafted. One cup at a time.
01:06Your perfect latte is ready. Coffee first. Then, everything else.
01:13Good afternoon. Welcome to Beyond the Headlines. I'm DJ Moises and today's conversation is brought to us by Coffee First.
01:20The long-delayed Cebu Bus Rapid Transit was originally designed to serve commuters from Bulacau in the south to Talamban
01:29in the north.
01:30The original design prioritized the needs of the urban poor communities who relied on efficient and affordable public transportation for
01:40daily mobility and livelihood.
01:42But the Department of Transportation requested the City Council to pass a resolution approving the development of a BRT loop
01:52within the Cebu City Government Philinvest Joint Venture Property at the SRP.
01:57This raises concerns that it now favors business districts over the commuting public.
02:05This issue highlights a question confronting Cebu's flagship transport project, whether the CBRT will remain anchored on its original goal
02:15of providing accessible, affordable mobility for ordinary Cebuanos,
02:20or continue evolving into a system shaped by shifting urban and commercial priorities.
02:28After a heated exchange at the Cebu City Council, the committee report was withdrawn and effectively halts, for now, the
02:36Council's action on the DOTR's request, pending further review and possible revision.
02:42The CBRT project, first proposed decades ago and formally planned in 2010 by the Department of Transportation, has faced repeated
02:53delays due to right-of-way constraints, design revisions, and policy disagreements.
02:59The World Bank canceled approximately US$85 million in underspores loan proceeds because large portions of the project could no
03:10longer be completed before the loan closing date.
03:14Partial operations have begun in some segments, but key components remain incomplete and subject to ongoing debate.
03:22So where does this leave Cebu?
03:25Let's put politics aside and examine the bigger picture.
03:31Let's look deeper and think better.
03:35So let me give you a little bit of a rundown on the history that got us to where we
03:45are today.
03:46But I'll not go back to 2010.
03:48I'll just go back to March of 2026.
03:51And this was when the City Council got into a debate because of a proposal from the Department of Transportation
03:58of an SRP loop.
04:00And this experience or this faced a strong objection from Vice Mayor Tami Osmania.
04:08So this is the 2.7-kilometer CBRT loop in the SRP.
04:13And then in April of this year, Vice Mayor Osmania appealed to the President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
04:23and the World Bank to restore the original Bulacau to Talamban alignment, saying that the project should focus on serving
04:33Cebu City's busiest residential district.
04:37And then this month, that's July, Vice Mayor Osmania called on the Council to reject the proposed realignment.
04:46And this is the SRP loop, arguing that the city should take a firm position rather than merely asking the
04:56national government to reconsider.
04:58So before, Vice Mayor Osmania has a stronger stand that the City Council should reject the proposed realignment.
05:10At the same time, there are other councillors like Councilor Winston Pepito,
05:15who's also pushing for the inclusion of the South Road properties in the CBRT network,
05:21arguing that Cebu does not have to choose between economic growth and mobility.
05:28And he said Cebu City should pursue both.
05:33So, let's dissect further.
05:36That's the sequence of events that led to the situation earlier this week.
05:42So what is this heated exchange about?
05:47For my understanding, this is not about whether Cebu needs a bus rapid transit or whatever mass transit improvement for
05:57that matter.
05:57Because obviously, even when you look at the photos that's being shown on screen right now,
06:03we obviously need one.
06:05And in fact, it's even long delayed.
06:07Now, both sides also, this is not also about both sides disagreeing whether the SRP,
06:14which is said to be the future business district of Cebu City,
06:21deserves a better connectivity or mobility.
06:24Because yeah, that's where the future is headed.
06:27And just like every infrastructure,
06:29di man ta mag huwat na mu-congest ang traffic,
06:32which is, by the way, it's already starting to congest,
06:35before we start doing anything.
06:37So both sides actually agree that we need better transportation in the core sections of the city.
06:46And then we also have to plan strategically the future state,
06:50in future districts like the SRP.
06:54So the debate here, in my opinion, should not be either or or.
07:02So let's start with the two options that are being floated.
07:09So the first option is develop the core part of Cebu City.
07:14And then the second option is look at the future of mobility.
07:19So let's start with the first.
07:21I would understand if there are proponents, such as the vice mayor,
07:27who would argue that the CBRT should first fulfill the purpose which it was originally conceived or funded.
07:37Ang kaning Bulacaw to Talamban, this is already notorious in terms of congestion.
07:44I used to live in the area in the north, which is close to Talamban.
07:50And on peak hours, it would take me two and a half hours just for me to get to Cebu
07:56Business Park.
07:57So that's how terribly bad that area is.
08:00And the same holds true also with the south and also the Bulacaw, the Pardo area.
08:05It's also unbelievably congested.
08:10So if there are proponents who would say, no, no, no, delete the SRP.
08:14We have to prioritize what's the original design.
08:18I will have to say it's about time because this is already long delayed.
08:22Now, let's also, this is also long delayed.
08:27So kaning a proposal, if you ask me, kung ako na isang isummarize,
08:32it's actually saying, let's work on the current problem that we have.
08:37And then once we're done with it, then let's move forward to the expansion.
08:42So this is what I think this proposition is about.
08:47Now, let's go to the second, which is SRP.
08:51I would also agree, no, na dili tamag huwat na the situation will already worsen in SRP.
08:58Some people are now even raising that once the arena is going to be fully operational,
09:03they could not imagine, no, the flow of traffic.
09:07So that's mobility and access that would happen around the area,
09:10especially when there is an event because we know that kaning section sa seaside
09:16and there are even bad days, no, that it could extend towards El Corso, no?
09:21This is already a congested section also.
09:25So, and we're not talking about the expansions that are currently ongoing.
09:30So if you would ask me, I would understand also,
09:32katong mo insist na nga, no, no, no, no, no, i-prioritize ni siya
09:35because kanang before mo cause o problem, dapat mag-i-doon ta,
09:40i-ready na na to ang info.
09:42If you would ask me, kaning mga road systems and transportation systems
09:47would have even come close to a prerequisite, no,
09:50before we even start building.
09:52So I see the merit also about that area, no.
09:58So in a nutshell, kung akong gisummarize itong first,
10:00the second pun is, instead of waiting the congestion to worsen
10:04because it's already a congested na puno ginahinay,
10:07then we have to correct the problem before it becomes bigger.
10:11So as I've said before I went into this two opposing sides,
10:17that both perspectives are actually valid.
10:21But as we know in economics,
10:23we are operating also in finite resources, no,
10:28hiliin na siya ka ng infinite na magpatuyang lang ta, no.
10:30Kaya kung magpatuyang lang ta, why not, no?
10:33Pero limited man ang atuang resource.
10:35So ako ang take about this, no.
10:37I will have to go with the completion of the Bulacau
10:40to Talamban Corridor first, no.
10:45In the first place,
10:47moobitaw ning na-delay ning a project,
10:49it's because dugay kayta nagkasinabot about
10:53kanang, kanang, kanang the widening of the road, no.
10:57Wag yun na nato na sulbad.
10:59That even led to the World Bank
11:01cancelling, no,
11:03the undisbursed fund of 85 million US dollars, no.
11:09So this is like pera na naging bato pa.
11:12And again, ang root cause ani,
11:14because nagsigigihapuntag lalis
11:16on how to move the plan forward.
11:19And the plan is already there.
11:20So if you would ask me,
11:22why don't we focus first on
11:27getting this plan implemented?
11:30Because we all know,
11:31Bulacau to Talamban is a huge problem, no.
11:34So let's solve this.
11:36And in fact,
11:38if ma-convince pa ganina to ang World Bank,
11:40I think that should have even more the focus now, no.
11:43To demonstrate na, kanang,
11:46while there have been delays in the project,
11:49like, really bad delays, no.
11:51It's not even just a mere delay.
11:52Really bad delays.
11:54Supposedly, this would have been a time for us
11:55to demonstrate to the World Bank ba, nga.
11:58Kanang, we would be able to do better, no.
12:00And hopefully be able to get back, no,
12:03the fund that they already canceled.
12:06But in spite of that,
12:07assuming the fund is no longer there,
12:09I will have to say,
12:10so let's solve this problem first.
12:12Muraman ni siya,
12:13I would have wanted us to be proactive,
12:15and I see also the other proponents of that,
12:17but ang point lang na ako ba is,
12:19wapagay na nato na sulbad,
12:20ang problema nato karoon,
12:21nangita na tag-problema salain, no.
12:23So, sulbaron sa ni nato karoon.
12:25That's where I'm coming from.
12:26But I'm not also saying,
12:27na i-abandon to nato, no.
12:29And I'll have to also underscore,
12:32nga, na'y tendency usahay
12:33ang ito ang government ba,
12:35or local government na,
12:36kanang one task at a time.
12:39If I were in this situation,
12:42duhan ni karoon ka tasks, no.
12:44First, get the current project done,
12:47but we're not saying also nga,
12:48abandon this.
12:50Kaya basig mang mata tatani
12:51pag 2030 niya,
12:52magnilingi ay tatana,
12:53and then, oh my God,
12:54wadi na ito gitrabaho ang plano sa SRP.
12:56That would be a nightmare, no.
12:58So, get this done,
12:59but create a separate task force also
13:02to plan already on how this connects to SRP.
13:05Because this is a system.
13:07Nga ni sila stand alone.
13:08They should be connected.
13:09So, that's our opinion here.
13:12So, I hope kaning mga debates sa council
13:14about the inclusion,
13:15or the exclusion,
13:17or whatnot,
13:18I see the passion around it, no.
13:21Because we wanted to come up
13:23with a better solution.
13:24But not also to the point
13:26that it will already paralyze,
13:27because the current CBRT project
13:29has already been paralyzed
13:31for a long time, no.
13:33So, in a nutshell,
13:35position ako about this,
13:36complete the backbone first,
13:39and then expand strategically.
13:42And the good thing about this one
13:44is because we are able
13:45to establish the core,
13:48mass transportation,
13:49which is actually what most cities,
13:51successful cities do.
13:53And then,
13:54we extend it to the growth area.
13:57When I say extend,
13:58really extend in 2050,
14:00let's work on how
14:02this can also still connect
14:04and secure the funding for such, no.
14:06Para they can overlap, no.
14:08Not, not,
14:08we prioritize na to,
14:10but not necessarily linear.
14:11They can also still overlap, no.
14:14Because at the end of the day,
14:16I think this is not a question
14:18about which should come first, no.
14:20I think this is really about
14:23a transportation system
14:24that will outlive politics, no.
14:28And I've said this previously,
14:29morag nag-uul na gani ko
14:30kay 2027 na bian next year.
14:32And while it's not an election period,
14:36but, well,
14:37the experience will tell us,
14:38morag,
14:39divided na ang focus
14:40ato ang politicians, no.
14:42So, I'm even hoping
14:43na marisolve din na to this year
14:45para at least kung focus na sila
14:47a little bit on the campaign,
14:48medyo ang decisions
14:50have already been done.
14:52It's just a matter of implementation.
14:54Because mass transits,
14:55as we all know, no,
14:56like, just like the CCMC, no,
14:59is, is not built
15:00for the next election, no.
15:02These are infrastructure
15:03that are built
15:04for the next generation.
15:06And the decision
15:07that we,
15:08along with our leaders,
15:09will make today
15:11should move
15:13and work
15:13for the Cebuanos
15:15in decades
15:16to come.
15:18So,
15:19that's our take.
15:20And then,
15:20for our viewers,
15:21if you have
15:22additional comments,
15:23feel free to write them down
15:25in the comment section.
15:26And we will do our best
15:27if you have questions
15:28and also comments,
15:30we will also engage
15:31in those conversations.
15:33So,
15:34mass transit
15:35is not just about
15:36moving buses.
15:37It's about
15:38moving a city
15:40forward.
15:42The debate
15:42over the CBRT
15:43should never be reduced
15:44to personalities
15:45or politics.
15:47Long after
15:48today's officials
15:49have left office,
15:50Cebuanos will still
15:51be living
15:52within the decisions
15:53that were made
15:55or are made
15:56today.
15:57The challenge
15:57is to think
15:58beyond the next
15:59traffic jam
16:00and beyond
16:01the next election.
16:02The best
16:03infrastructure projects
16:04are those
16:05that solve
16:05today's problems
16:07while preparing
16:08for tomorrow's
16:10opportunities.
16:11It's already
16:12the weekend
16:12tomorrow.
16:13I'm DJ Moises.
16:15Thank you to
16:15Coffee First
16:16for supporting
16:17conversations
16:17that matter.
16:19And this has been
16:20Beyond the Headlines.
16:21Let's look deeper,
16:23think better,
16:24have a good
16:25afternoon.
16:31It starts
16:32with a fresh
16:33shot of espresso.
16:35Bold,
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16:41Then comes
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16:46The perfect
16:47latte
16:47is not
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16:49It is crafted
16:50one cup
16:51at a time.
16:53Your perfect
16:54latte is ready.
16:55Coffee
16:56first,
16:57then
16:57everything
16:58else.
16:59do
17:13good
17:17buy
17:23with
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