CEBU CITY—The Department of Transportation and Communications has sought an infrastructure ban exemption from the Commission on Elections for the implementation of Cebu City’s P10.6-billion Bus Rapid Transit project.
Lawyer Rafael Yap, the BRT Cebu project manager, said DoTC already wrote the poll body about the matter last week.
“We already asked for an exemption from the infrastructure ban to start the procurement process before the May 9 elections,” he said.
The first phase of the 16-kilometer BRT will be the construction of the bus ways, bus stations, and other facilities on Osmeña Blvd., particularly the area from the Fuente Osmeña to the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
The entire BRT, which will have some 33 stations and 176 buses, will be from Barangay Bulacao to Barangay Talamban.
It is expected to serve 330,000 passengers per day when it becomes operational in 2017.
The Comelec will prohibit starting March 25 until May 8 the “construction of public works, delivery of materials for public works, issuance of treasury warrant or similar devises for a future undertaking chargeable against public funds.”
The restriction imposed by the poll body on the implementation of the government projects is intended to prevent these from being used for campaigning by those running for elective posts.
Yap said the BRT is among the many projects of DoTC that were endorsed by the agency to Comelec for exemption.