The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has committed to clearing the Osmeña Boulevard in front of the Capitol Building of steel structures that had been intended as foundations of bus stations for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project.
“We will be removing the posts already, either this afternoon or tomorrow,” DOTr Program Manager Benedicto Guia Jr. told Gov. Gwen Garcia in a meeting at the Capitol on November 8.
These structures, currently stationed in the middle of the busy road, had been ordered removed by Gov. Garcia in a meeting with project implementers on July 2, citing safety hazards and the obstruction they posed on motorists.
Earlier, Gov. Garcia had issued a cease-and-desist order to the contractor and project implementers of the bus stations on Osmeña Blvd as these are supposed to be built on Capitol-owned lots. Moreover, they would also violate the cultural and heritage integrity of the Capitol, a declared National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines which under the law is afforded certain protections.
The meeting was also attended by World Bank Senior Operations Officer Monica Sawyer, World Bank Transport Specialist John Richardson, World Bank Operations Manager Dandan Chen, World Bank Senior Procurement Specialist Dominic Aumentado, and DOTr Assistant Secretary James Andres Melad.
The World Bank, a major financier of the CBRT project, expressed support for Gov. Garcia’s position.
“We really recognized the fair values, the important points you mentioned. These issues need to be brought back to the DOTr and really to find a solution so in order for us to continue to support. This is basically our stand as a financer,” Chen told the Governor.
With the removal of the steel structures, the CBRT team will proceed with the improvement of the sidewalks along Osmeña Boulevard, extending to the Fuente Rotunda. Planned enhancements include curb improvements, installation of streetlights, paving blocks, and planting strips to create a more pedestrian-friendly and aesthetically pleasing thoroughfare. | BJR