Tom raises ‘misdirection and possible corruption’ in CBRT project

Local

THE Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project is being hijacked by private interests as delays mount and funding nears expiration.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña said this as he sounded the alarm over what he called the “misdirection and possible corruption” in the ongoing implementation of the project.

Osmeña cited route deviations, questionable procurement, and a proposed public-private partnership (PPP) that he said makes little financial sense.

In a press conference on Thursday, July 3, Osmeña, the original proponent of the CBRT over a decade ago, warned that the project’s current form no longer reflects its intended purpose to deliver fast, efficient, and people-centered public transport to Cebu’s commuters.

“No one lives in SM or Ayala,” he said, referring to the inclusion of mall-bound routes in the revised plan. “This project was meant to serve the people of Cebu—from Bulacao in the south to Talamban in the north—not business interests.”

The vice mayor lamented the rerouting as part of what he sees as a broader shift away from public benefit toward private gain.

The CBRT, launched in 2014 and primarily funded by a $141-million World Bank loan, was inspired by Osmeña’s visit to Curitiba, Brazil, a global model for efficient, low-cost mass transit.

But in recent years, the project has stalled. Design changes, construction delays, and shifting priorities have prompted the World Bank to issue a warning: in a July 1 report, the Bank said the CBRT’s continued sluggish progress risks pushing the project into “failure” status before the loan expires in 2026.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has responded by proposing a PPP to salvage funding and keep the project moving. Osmeña, however, dismissed the idea as unrealistic.

“Good luck with that,” he said. “Investors will only come if they can profit. And this route doesn’t make financial sense.”

He also questioned DOTr’s intent to conduct another feasibility study, saying the World Bank has already funded a comprehensive one.

“Millions were already spent on studies. Why waste more?” he said.

Osmeña also took aim at the so-called “Link-to-Port Feature” that extends the BRT pedestrian design toward Cebu Port, describing it as unnecessary and misaligned with the needs of ordinary commuters.

“The focus should be on fast and efficient travel for daily commuters—not beautification or port-side walkways,” he said.

The vice mayor further criticized the decision to hire internationally known designer Kenneth Cobonpue to design the BRT’s stations and waiting sheds, citing concerns over a conflict of interest.

“I’d like to investigate how he got that contract,” Osmeña said, noting that Cobonpue currently serves as chair of the Regional Development Council in Central Visayas.

Osmeña emphasized that BRT remains the superior option compared to other proposed modes such as monorails.

“Monorails are expensive and rigid. The BRT is flexible—routes can change and scale with demand,” he said.

He also pointed out that proper BRT systems typically have central stations with overhead pedestrian access, making them safe and accessible even for the elderly and children. These features, he said, are lacking in the current CBRT civil works.

“This is no longer the BRT we envisioned. It’s missing the core elements that make it efficient,” he said.

The CBRT’s first package, which covers dedicated bus lanes from Cebu South Bus Terminal to the Capitol via N. Bacalso Avenue was launched by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in February 2023. However, even this initial stretch has experienced slow construction progress.(TGP)