THE city government has lobbied before the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the implementation of the High Priority Bus System (HPBS) to address the need for a better public transport system in the city.
In his weekly radio program over the government-run Davao City Disaster Radio, Mayor Sebastian Duterte confirmed that he met with DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista to appeal to him for the implementation of the project.
“Ang mga taga Davao ginavalue ang quality of life; gusto nato walay traffic,” the mayor said even as he urged the city residents to calm down as he vowed to continue appealing to the national government for the implementation of the project.
The project, initiated by his sister, former mayor and now Vice President Sara Duterte, is among those that the Vice President wanted implemented when she made a statement days before her stepping down form the city government.
The young Duterte, the youngest child of former President Rodrigo Duterte with Elizabeth Zimmerman, also vowed to push through with the P19 billion project which will abolish from main thoroughfares 7,500 public utility jeepneys and will be replaced by 1,300 modern buses.
Just a year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Economic Development Authority Board approved the project with the funding coming from the national government under the Official Development Assistance with the city government setting aside P2.8 billion as its counterpart.
A component of the project is finding livelihood activities to those who will displaced by its implementation.
In the middle of last week, the city government, with the help of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, started the implementation of the Peak Hours Augmentation Bus Service for areas considered as needing an additional transport system.
The bus augmentation service, which has so far deployed nine buses to two key destinations, was a result of the call of residents for help because of lack of public utility vehicles.
