𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐒 𝐋𝐆𝐔𝐬 𝐎𝐍 ‘𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐁𝐘𝐀𝐇𝐄’ 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐓
The Cebu Provincial Government has begun consultations with local government units for the rollout of Tabang Pangbyahe, a pioneering public transportation program that seeks to improve the commuting experience in Metro Cebu through a subsidized bus service.
The initiative, backed by funding from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), is designed to raise service standards among participating bus operators while providing commuters with safer, more reliable, and more comfortable public transportation.
“The Province of Cebu will be the first in the country that will implement its own public transportation program with an overall objective: improve significantly the public commuting experience in Metro Cebu,” Governor Pamela Baricuatro said during the consultation on June 5.
The meeting gathered planning officers and traffic managers from Metro Cebu local government units to discuss the program’s implementation, proposed routes, designated bus stops, and service standards.
Gov. Baricuatro said the DOTr has earmarked P20 million for the program, which will provide incentives to bus operators that partner with the Provincial Government under the subsidy scheme.
DOTr Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez is expected to visit the Capitol to sign the agreement with the governor before the project is rolled out, tentatively scheduled for late June or early July.
Elizar Sabinay Jr. of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) presented the proposed routes for the pilot implementation of the program.
For the northern corridor, buses will operate between Cebu I.T. Park and Danao City. The southern route, meanwhile, will run between the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) and Simala in Sibonga.
During the consultation, traffic managers were also asked to provide input on the proposed designated bus stops in their respective localities. Under the program, passengers may board and alight only at designated stops identified through a study conducted by the PPDO.
For the northern corridor, 22 designated bus stops have been identified in Cebu City, 25 in Mandaue City, 12 in Consolacion, 28 in Liloan, 16 in Compostela, and 29 in Danao City.
For the southern corridor, the proposed stops include 10 in Talisay City, eight in Minglanilla, 16 in the City of Naga, 20 in San Fernando, 26 in Carcar City, and 18 in Sibonga.
Sabinay said bus operators seeking to participate in the subsidy program must meet strict service and operational standards set by the Provincial Government.
Among the requirements are functional GPS units linked to an operational local command center for real-time monitoring, compliance with cleanliness and sanitation standards, low-floor buses that are accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens, properly maintained air-conditioning systems, compliance with the prescribed 60-passenger capacity, and a strict no-standing-passenger policy.
Participating buses must also be equipped with functional cameras installed both inside and outside the vehicle.
The Provincial Government will conduct random spot audits and require GPS-backed reports to ensure compliance with the program’s standards, including adherence to prescribed dwell times at designated bus stops.
“The service criteria really ensure that the main factor is commuter experience. That’s why we define Tabang Pangbyahe as mas nindot nga byahi, dali og komportable. That’s what we want,” Sabinay said. | CAPITOL PIO
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