DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 July) – The city’s traffic lights will be retrofitted in preparation for the implementation of the P73.4-billion Davao City Public Transport Modernization project, an official of the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) said on Wednesday.
In an interview at the sidelines of “Wednesdays Media Forum at Habi at Kape,” CTTMO head Ret. PCol. Dionisio Abude said they need to synchronize the traffic lights and link them up with the High Priority Bus System (HPBS).
He said the CTTMO would ensure that all traffic lights would be HPBS-ready once the government implements the project.
“We need to harmonize it with our bus system because these buses should be prioritized, and should not stop at intersections, meaning they should be allowed to run continuously along their respective routes,” he said.
Abude said his office was directed to identify the locations of the bus stops and monitor the operation of the buses.
Last February 2 this year, the National Economic Development Authority Board approved the bus modernization project under the “Build, Better, More” Program of the Marcos Jr. administration.
The total project cost of P73.4 billion will be funded by a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), national budget, and local budget.
Last July 1, the Philippine government signed a $1-billion (P54.89 billion) loan agreement with the ADB for the HPBS.
The project would be implemented within the third quarter of 2023, commence initial operations by the end quarter of 2024, and full operations by end of 2005.
Under the social development program, Abude said the jeepney drivers will be trained by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on bus driving.
He said those who would pass the TESDA training would be prioritized for hiring as bus drivers while those who would not make it would be prioritized in the hiring for various jobs at the terminals and bus depots.
In a press release issued last June 29, the ADB announced that the project would “deploy electric bus fleets at scale in support of the Philippines’ efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and promote climate action.”
It said the loan would “support the procurement of a modern fleet of about 1,100 electric and Euro 5-standard diesel-fueled buses with operations managed by the private sector under performance-based contracts.”
It said the new fleet is expected to reduce 60% of annual greenhouse gas emissions from public transport in Davao City, the country’s third-largest city in terms of population.
It said the HPBS would service about 800,000 passengers per day.
According to ADB, it would include the “construction of around 1,000 bus stops with bright lighting and shelters, 5 bus depots and 3 bus terminals, and provide bus driving training for the new system.”
“The project will upgrade the city’s public transport experience via an intelligent transport system that includes a bus location system, automatic fare collection systems, and Wi-Fi connectivity in buses, terminals, and depots,” it added.
Abude said around 7,000 public utility jeepneys would be gradually phased out, a move that is expected to significantly address the traffic condition in the city.
“It will address traffic congestion. At present, the loading and unloading of PUJs is not proper. With the bus system, we have specific bus stops, and they cannot stop in between bus stops,” he said.Once operational, the HPBS will have 29 bus routes divided into the following four tiers: MetroDavao (will form the core services that connect all major commercial centers along five routes), DavaoInter (will run along with eight routes connecting the inner urban areas directly to the Davao Central Business District), DavaoFeeder (will run along nine routes linking smaller centers and areas of more dispersed populations to the MetroDavao services), and DavaoLocal (will provide a link between the outer rural areas of the city and main transport system or the integrated terminals). (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
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