DAVAO CITY – The local government will hasten the completion and implementation of the High Priority Bus System (HPBS), incoming Davao City mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte said.
In his inaugural speech at the City Hall of Davao, the 34-year-old Duterte said the Dabawenyos would soon experience a modern and efficient transport system with the HPBS, a transport modernization project that would replace the aging jeepneys with modern buses and address the problem of traffic congestion.
He said the preparation for the HPBS is now in ‘full swing.’
He said that the HPBS does not only provide comfort but also promote economic growth.
Duterte thanked his sister outgoing mayor and now Vice President Sara Duterte for initiating the HPBS project during her term as the local chief executive.
The vice President said earlier that she would push the implementation of the HPBS under the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
According to the DOTr, the bus system is scheduled for implementation from 2020 to 2023, and it aims to ‘provide an efficient and affordable mode of transport for Dabawenyos through the delivery’ of a modern HPBS.
It added that the interconnected bus services would be prioritized along the 137-kilometer core network, and 489 kms of feeder routes.
Once operational, the HPBS will have 29 bus routes divided into the following four tiers: MetroDavao (will form the core services that connect all major commercial centers along five routes), DavaoInter (will run along with eight routes connecting the inner urban areas directly to the Davao Central Business District), DavaoFeeder (will run along nine routes linking smaller centers and areas of more dispersed populations to the MetroDavao services), and DavaoLocal (will provide a link between the outer rural areas of the city and main transport system or the integrated terminals).
Mayor Baste acknowledged that the traffic situation here remains a concern for any developing city like Davao but vowed that the local government would continue to work ‘harder to improve the city’s accessibility and traffic condition.’
He said there are ongoing road infrastructure projects like the Davao City Coastal Road Project and the Japanese government-funded Davao City Bypass Road project that seek to alleviate the problem of traffic congestion.
Aside from modernizing the traffic situation, Mayor Baste said he would expand development outside the city centers towards the Second and Third Districts, bringing in high impact infrastructure projects such as road networks, bypass roads, and bridges.
He told utility companies to fast-track developmental programs specifically in the underserved barangays, emphasizing the need for clean water and stable electricity supply.