2 Mindanao cities tap universities for transportation masterplan

THE CITY governments of Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro have partnered with academic institutions for the development of their respective transport system plans to address road congestion and improve public transport services in these urban areas. Zamboanga has commissioned the University of the Philippines-National Center for Transportation Studies (UP-NCTS) to draw the city’s Comprehensive Transport and Traffic Management Plan (2019–2033). The UP-NCTS recently led a transport summit in preparation for the plan, participated in by representatives from various sectors. Vice Mayor Rommel S. Agan, speaking during the gathering, said input from all sectors is “vital to ensure an all-encompassing” plan. In Cagayan de Oro, the city government signed last week a memorandum of understanding with the Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan for the sharing of the Transport Study Software through the school’s Engineering Resource Center (ERC). Under the partnership, ERC’s experts and the local government’s transport officials will jointly prepare the masterplan. The city government will provide the data and funding.