𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐘, 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐅𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐄 ‘𝐌𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘’
Improving mobility in Cebu requires both a shift in mindset and policy reforms, particularly by encouraging walking, cycling, and public transportation.
So said Dr. Robert Siy, Jr., an urban planner, transport economist, and former Department of Transportation (DOTr) advisor, during a presentation at the Capitol on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
He made the presentation to Cebu Provincial Planning and Development Office personnel after accepting the request to do so, when it was found out that he was coming to Cebu for a separate engagement.
“Today, if we look at travel, what is most prioritized is private travel, for private cares for motor vehicles…. We prioritize the least travel option on a very limited road space,” he said.
“If we want a more livable city…it means shifting from prioritizing motor vehicles to walking, cycling, or public transport. Pick an option that would not involve a private car,” he added.
Dr. Siy said that while only a small percentage of the Filipino population own cars, the country is already beset with the worse traffic.
“Only six percent of Filipinos nationwide own a private car. And yet, this is the kind of traffic we have today…. We should change perspective to a sustainable mobility perspective,” he said.
The situation is also not getting any better, with majority of Filipinos wanting to own vehicles.
He quoted a Department of Planning, Economy, and Development’s (formerly NEDA) “Ambisyon 2040” survey, with a sample of 40,000 households as respondents, showing that 77 percent of Filipinos want to own a car someday.
He said public transport should be seen as essential, not optional, by transport agencies. He identified cost service contracting, like the Tabang PangByahe program that the Cebu Provincial Government is launching very soon, as a way to go.
Tabang PangByahe is a pioneering public transportation program that seeks to improve the commuting experience in Metro Cebu through a subsidized bus service. It involves the DOTr, the Cebu Provincial Government, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Funded by DOTr (P20 million), the program is designed to elevate and professionalize service standards among participating bus operators. At the same time, the riding public gets to experience safer, more reliable, and more comfortable public transportation.
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