The Provincial Government will formally submit its claims on the lots used as bus stations of the soon-to-be-completed Bus Rapid Transit project in Cebu City.
Gov. Gwen Garcia informed Engr. Norvin Imbong about this during their meeting on Wednesday, October 18. Engr. Imbong heads the Cebu group of Department of Transportation (DOTr) manning the BRT project.
At least two bus stations of the project — the one near Fuente Circle and another one in front of the Capitol Building — sit on lots owned by the Provincial Government.
It was in February this year when Gov. Gwen first demanded “just compensation” from DOTr when the project’s civil works started early this year.
Capitol discovered that components of the Cebu BRT would encroach on several “road lots” it owns.
Portions of some Capitol-owned properties along Osmeña Boulevard, designated as road lots, are now being developed to build the bus stations.
This is not the first time the provincial government has asked entities to pay up for using their properties that belong to the province. To recall, the governor earlier requested several utility firms, including telecommunication firms, to pay just compensation for using portions of its lands along Osmeña Blvd.
Meanwhile, the BRT team also presented their traffic plan to the governor especially in light of the congestion woes experienced by motorists amid the ongoing construction of the project.
Package 1 of the BRT project, which is now ongoing, traverses from the Cebu South Bus terminal along N. Bacalso Avenue to Fuente Circle, leading all the way to the Provincial Capitol. | Carlo Lorenciana