DOTr advancing Davao's P73-B transport modernization
DOTr advancing Davao's P73-B transport modernization
By Emmie V. Abadilla
The Department of Transportation ( DOTr) committed to advance Davao's Electric Vehicle (EV) agenda through its P73.37-billion Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP).
“This undertaking, which shall be shared by the national government, the local government of Davao City and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will provide enhanced mobility and accessibility in Davao and will surely help stir the region’s economy to even greater heights,” Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista announced Wednesday night, July 5,
The DPTMP will establish a high-quality bus-based public transportation system traversing over 100-kilometers of core routes and over 500-kilometers of feeder routes.
The project seeks to transform Davao City’s public road transport system, introducing a new service benchmark and providing more comfortable, safe, and accessible experience to commuters.
Furthermore, the DPTMP targets to service more than 800,000 passengers daily. It will construct three terminals, five depots, one driving school, and around 1,000 bus stops to serve the riding public.
The DOTr will use a fleet of 18-meter articulated electric buses and regular diesel buses for the project.
Partial operations will start by the fourth quarter of 2024. By 2025, the fleet will go into full operations.
Under the project, the DOTr will also launch the country’s biggest fleet electrification initiative, with nearly 400 electric buses to transport commuters once fully operational.
Modern public transport is the bedrock of urban development as the project is the regional bank’s largest-ever road-based public transport project in the country, says ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Z. Duterte witnessed the signing of the landmark $1-billion financing package for the project last week.
The package consisted of three loan agreements between the Department of Finance (DOF) and the ADB, along with and its co-financing partners.
President Marcos directed the DOTr to accomplish the project within the set timeline and ensure it affects the least number of people and activities as possible.
“The DOTr must work together with the concerned agencies in addressing all the different concerns such as funding requirement, the traffic, those households that will be affected,” the chief executive stated.