Bus rapid transit system from BGC to NAIA to be finished by 2019
Posted on December 19, 2016
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THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) expects to finish by 2019 its segment of the Bus Rapid Transit, which connects Bonifacio Global City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), a top official said.
Vivencio B. Dizon, president and CEO of state-owned BCDA, told reporters last week that the project could be done two years after the feasibility study is completed next year.
“Meron na tayong (We would have a) BRT Fort (Bonifacio) to NAIA by 2019. Construction time kaya ng (can be done in) two years. ’Yung matagal lang is (What would take time is the) tunneling, pero mabilis na lang ’yun (But it would be quick) in short distance,” he said in a media briefing on Dec. 16.
BCDA currently has a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China Road and Bridge Corp. (CRBC), which would conduct the feasibility study on the project.
This is one of the projects signed during President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s state visit to China in October. The MoU, while non-binding and at no cost to the government, received flak after media reports circulated that CRBC was blacklisted by the World Bank (WB) from any WB-funded project.
This comes as the Department of Transportation (DoTr) plans to create a P37.8-billion Metro Manila BRT System to help ease traffic congestion. The system will have 63 stations and stretch 48.6 kilometers along the region’s main thoroughfare EDSA from Monumento to Roxas Boulevard.
While the DoTr leads the implementation of the BRT for most of Metro Manila, the state-owned corporation is in charge of the BGC to NAIA segment since it traverses BCDA property.
For the BRT project, a portion may have to be underground.
“Wala ka na kasi tatayuan sa taas (We don’t have any space to build on top of). We have to go underground. We have to tunnel all the way and there’s a stop that goes to NAIA 1, 2, and 3,” Mr. Dizon said.
Once the project is completed, travel time from BGC to NAIA is guaranteed at 15 minutes, he added.
Mr. Dizon said the BCDA is also considering to start its own bus company for the project, since it has the power to operate public transportation.
The Metro Manila BRT-EDSA proposal was one of the first projects that the board of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), headed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, approved in September for implementation. The project is expected to be operational in 2020. — Roy Stephen C. Canivel
