DAVAO CITY (PIA) - - Vice President Sara Z. Duterte is thankful to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for supporting the realization and implementation of the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP), formerly known as the High Priority Bus System during her administration as Mayor of Davao City.
“Pasalamat ta kang President Marcos (Let’s thank President Marcos), because he understands the importance of the continuity of the projects. Nakit-an niya nga dapat ipadayon ang mga projects nga nag gikan sa previous administration padulong sa iyahang administration (He recognized that the projects of the previous administration should be carried on to his administration) which contributes to nation building,” VP Duterte said in an interview.
She said that DPTMP or now branded as DavaoBus “will help our transport sector, and ultimately, the way of life of the Davaoeños.”
The Vice-President also thanked former President Rodrigo R. Duterte “because the preparations of the signing happened during his term. So, we thank him for his support to Davao City and his support to my administration as Mayor at that time.”
VP Duterte, along with other government officials, was with President Marcos on Saturday, July 1, in Davao City, during the ceremonial signing of the loan agreement between the Department of Finance and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the implementation of the DPTMP.
The new bus-based public transportation system is the country’s first network solution to address urban congestion and mobility challenges, and it is designed to be safer, more efficient, reliable, and accessible than existing modes.
Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte expressed appreciation to the ADB for the approval of the government loan application for the DavaoBus project, and also recognized the unwavering support of the national government, especially the Department of Transportation.
“With your support, we are confident that the Davao Bus Project will soon become a reality and that we will soon be able to provide the public with the modern transportation system that will usher in a new era of growth and development in Davao City,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Maria Belen Acosta said in an interview that “this project will have a very big impact on Mindanao. Because of this, the travel of goods and people will be easier.”
She stressed that this is a good economic indicator “because kung paspas ang movement sa tao ug sa goods, mas paspas atung ma-expect na development dinhi sa Mindanao (if movement of people and goods is fast, we expect faster development in Mindanao).”
Sec. Acosta recalled that VP Duterte really pushed for the project during her time as Mayor of Davao City.
“In fact we were invited by JICA. We went to Japan, and actually rode in one of the high priority buses. We went to the Tokyo Central Station, and we experienced how modern, how clean, how efficient it is,” she shared.
“It’s great news that Asian Development Bank is helping us because this time around, it is not only Davao City which would be a beneficiary of this modern bus system but the entire Davao Region,” she said.
Sec. Acosta hoped that the project will be a showcase for Mindanao and for the Philippines, saying “because it’s the first time to have modern buses. If this will be very successful, this will become our template for modern buses throughout Mindanao, and throughout the whole country.”
The DavaoBus project is estimated to deliver 386 units of 18-meter articulated electric bus; 531 units of 12-meter regular diesel bus; and 188 units of nine-meter diesel bus.
The transport system will have total length of 672-kilometer route network, and is designed to operate on a four-tier hierarchical structure, such as the MetroDavao, DavaoFeeder, DavaoInter and DavaoLocal.
The DavaoBus will have three terminals identified as the Bunawan Terminal, Calinan Terminal and Toril Terminal, and there will be 1,074 bus stops, and with one driving school in Calinan.
There will be five depots, namely Buhangin Depot, Sasa Depot, Sto. Niño Depot, Calinan Depot and Toril Depot. (JBG/CLC/PIA-XI)