THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) clarified yesterday that the Cebu bus rapid transit (BRT) project will still continue, despite the socioeconomic planning secretary’s preference for the proposed Cebu light rail transit (LRT).
“NEDA stands firm and impartial in upholding standard practices and appropriate NEDA Board processes for all infrastructure project proposals,” the agency said in a statement yesterday.
The statement was issued amid fears that the Cebu BRT will not go ahead after Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said he prefers a rail system for the city, due to its narrow streets.
Mr. Pernia said that the LRT-Subway proposal will go through the rigorous project proposal process and approval of the NEDA Board.
According to Mr. Pernia, the Cebu BRT project is nearing implementation and is already in the advanced stages of approval, while a feasibility study has yet to be submitted for the Cebu LRT project to the Department of Transportation and NEDA.
The BRT is a $141-million bus line traversing Cebu city’s major routes, targeted for completion by 2018.
The LRT proposal on the other hand includes an elevated line from outside the southern city limits, and transitions into a subway line under the Cebu city center. It then shifts again into an LRT line to the north of the city.
“As standard practice for all big-ticket public projects, proposals are brought to the concerned line agency with a completed Feasibility Study (FS),” NEDA said.
“Should FS findings show the projects’ economic viability, these proposals will be thoroughly evaluated by the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Technical Board prior to the NEDA ICC Cabinet Committee, then the NEDA Board for final approval,” it added.
Mr. Pernia said that he cannot put a stop to the approved projects by himself despite his preference for the Cebu LRT-Subway project.
The ICC Cabinet Committee is composed of nine Cabinet members, while the NEDA Board is composed of 22 members, including the President as Chairman and the NEDA Secretary as Vice-Chair.
Nevertheless, all decisions made final by the NEDA Board are grounded on national and public interest, upon endorsement by the ICC Cabinet Committee.
Since the new administration took over in June 2016, the NEDA Board has approved 18 infrastructure projects worth P462.74 billion that are deemed ready for implementation. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan
