DAVAO City Councilor Conrado Baluran, chair of the committee on transportation and communication, bared that 45 buses will soon arrive in line with the city's High Priority Bus System (HPBS) program to address the growing transportation demand.
Baluran said during the AFP-PNP Press Corps forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel Wednesday, July 25, that the program of the city government of Davao, which is considered as urgent by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, is in coordination with the Department of Transportation while the financial aspects and the loan packages for this implementation will be shouldered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Initially, there were at least 90 buses that are intended for the city for the pilot testing. However, an initial of 45 buses will arrive by next month while the rest will be shipped in the coming months.
These buses will include free Wi-Fi use and equipped with comfortable spaces as well as modern card payment methods and are Euro 4 compliant.
These buses will serve five routes. The first route will be from Toril going Ulas to Matina Crossing, and would counter flow in Matina Crossing, going to SM then pass through Davao City Overland Transport Terminal and will end at Ateneo de Davao University along Roxas Avenue.
The second identified route would be in Mintal going to Roxas. The third route will be in Catalunan Grande. The fourth route will be in Panacan via R. Castillo while the fifth one will be in Cabantian going downtown.
He underscored that during the pilot testing, there would be no public utility jeepneys (PUJ) that would be affected. The transportation is still as is except these buses will be plying soon in the city's major streets.
Acknowledging the fact that there would be oppositions coming from transport groups, he said that although they understand their plight, the general welfare is on top of their priority. He also said that a social package program will be offered for affected individuals.
There has been a clamor coming from the public for an improved public transport system due to the pressing traffic problem here.
It was previously reported that the initial project implementation is expected to roll out in 2019, however, officials are taking into consideration the finalization of the loan packages and the routes needed to be considered plus the construction of bus stops and bus depots, and terminals; acquisition of road-right-of-way and retrofitting of intersections.
It can be recalled that Duterte-Carpio asked the DOTr to exempt the city for their Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization plan to give way for the HPBS which is also heading to the same direction of improving the public transport system.
