Fully-Electric Buses to Ply Major Thoroughfares in Cebu

Aboitiz Group, in partnership with GET Philippines recently launched new routes of GET Cebu, a fleet of low-emission, air-conditioned, and pollution-free COMET Buses developed by electric vehicle manufacturer GET Philippines.

GET Cebu’s COMET Buses will serve four routes —the Cebu North Route (SM City Consolacion- Cebu IT Park), Cebu South Route (Minglanilla- Cebu IT Park), Cebu Mactan Route (Gaisano Grand Mall- Cebu IT Park, with a pick-up and drop-off point at The Outlets at Pubelo Verde in MEZ2 Estate), and Cebu City Route (Shopwise Mambaling- Cebu- IT Park).

In line with the continuous transformation of the Mactan Economic Zone 2 (MEZ2) Estate, AIC Economic Estates Head Rafael Fernandez de Mesa shared the push for a sustainable and eco-friendly transportation network like GET Cebu is key to future-proof the estate and laying the foundation for next-generation smart cities.

“We want to create resilient spaces where we can also ensure the overall health and wellness of our community and the environment. Strategic land use, a good, flexible development plan, and a transport network that addresses traffic and congestion with minimal environmental impact essentially prepare us for the future needs of the communities we serve,” Fernandez de Mesa shared.

In its launch event held at The Outlets at Pueblo Verde, GET Philippines President Freddie Tinga shared that the development of the COMET Buses addressed the need for safe and sustainable transport with a positive impact to the environment.

“We’re seeing two things that are happening in the world today that could be ideal if we could bring them to the Philippines. One is the rise of the electric vehicle to replace internal combustion engines, and the other is the app as a transport solution. Here, we felt that here was the opportunity to put those two things together and create a holistic transport solution for developing markets,” Tinga said.

Meanwhile, Philinsure and Cebu Leads Foundation President Gordon Alan Joseph shared that the vision for GET Cebu is anchored on sustainability as the new normal.

“If there’s anything that the pandemic taught us, plus the [natural] disasters we’ve had before…We cannot keep doing what we are doing to the environment. We cannot let our commuters sit in diesel smoke from poorly-designed and poor-quality vehicles,” Joseph said.

The launch of GET Cebu also saw distinguished guests from the Aboitiz Group which include Mr. Anton Perdices, Mr. Jokin Aboitiz, and Mr. Anthony Noel, alongside VECO President and COO Engr. Raul Lucero and Engr. Raymund Villar from the Mactan EnerZone.