Traffic Chief Named Rapid Transit Czar

(PNA) — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has named lawyer Rafael Yap, the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) executive director, as the city’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) czar.

Rama said Yap is suited for the job because of his “intelligence, technical understanding of BRT and managerial capacity.”

Yap is part of the team handling the implementation of the P10.6-billion Cebu-BRT project.

Rama said he also wants to create a transportation office at the South Road Properties that Yap would supervise to monitor and assess the implementation of the Cebu-BRT, which is expected to be operational by 2017.

“The BRT needs focus, structure, people component, and professionalism. Yap has a heart for BRT as he also fought for it. He will head that very big transport office. I always give a change for anyone to grow,” he said.

”The role of the city is so huge. It is not a joke, so it has to be done professionally,” he said.

Rama said he has encouraged the 80 barangays to identify their respective “transportation czar” who would oversee major transportation projects and policies, including traffic rules enforcement, in their respective areas.

Rama also said he does not want the trees lining the BRT route to become a reason to halt the implementation of the mass transport system.

Some 2,024 trees would reportedly be affected once the construction of the BRT facilities starts.

“The trees should not be primarily the reason to halt infrastructure projects because development also needs to be considered. We need to develop in order to serve more lives. If development is needed it is given that there are some areas that will be affected,” he said. (PNA) CMR/EB