ILOILO City – A company has proposed to develop an e-vehicle (EV) bus rapid transit (BRT) here to complement the city government’s efforts in making this southern city environmentally sustainable and a livable, highly-urbanized metropolis.
Representatives from First Balfour Inc., a leading engineering and construction company in the country, recently presented to Mayor Jerry Treñas their proposal which is seen to be a step-change in the Ilonggos’ commuting experience.
According to Antonio S. Payumo, First Balfour’s vice president, they would like to provide an end-to-end transport solution that ties in and integrates various elements of EV transport such as passenger information, ticketing systems, and timetable scheduling, thus giving passengers a seamless, reliable and clean transport experience.
The EV BRT as a low-carbon urban transport system is seen to not only reduce traffic congestion but also contribute to the development of the local economy while having a positive impact to the environment.
According to Payumo, they will utilize a mix of 12m and 18m articulated buses on a test-pilot basis.
“We believe there is a market demand for an EV BRT transport system. This will complement the modernized jeepneys,” said Payumo.
Mayor Treñas welcomed the proposal.
“I am very excited. This is a very, very big proposal,” said Treñas. “This will be very good for Metro Iloilo. This will help us avoid the traffic situation in the National Capital Region and Cebu. I look forward to this project. It is my hope that it will move forward smoothly.”
First Balfour asked for the city’s 2023-2028 Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) so it could tailor-fit its EV BRT proposal for Iloilo City.
“What is good about this is that they are open to cover the wider Metro Iloilo which includes the nearby towns of Oton, Cabatuan, Pavia, Santa Barbara, and Leganes. Ang problema ta pirmi amo ni – the more we widen our roads, the more cars we have. When you have a BRT you have a dedicated lane only for the buses…maybe for the jeepneys also. At the designated time, the commuter will know nga may salakyan kay whether or not puno sya maagi gid na sya. Isa pa ka nami is i-integrate ya ang tanan nga mga (transport) cooperatives,” said Treñas.
Sweden has expressed readiness to help with the feasibility study for this transport project, he added.
Iloilo City is one of the four sites chosen by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for technical assistance in crafting policies and programs for a low-carbon urban transport system.
Treñas said all these efforts are in line with his administration’s vision to make Iloilo a smart and green city in line with his development roadmap W.H.E.E.L.S. (Welfare, Health and Sanitation, Education, Environmental Management, Livelihood, and Sustainability) Inclusive Development for Environment and Sustainability./PN
