DAVAO CITY – Traffic lights here will be retrofitted in preparation for the implementation of the P73.4-billion Davao City Public Transport Modernization project, an official of the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) said on Wednesday, July 26. In an interview on the sidelines of the Wednesday media forum at Habi at Kape, CTTMO head Dionisio Abude said that some work would have to be undertaken to synchronize the traffic lights and link them up with the High Priority Bus System (HPBS). Abude said that the CTTMO would ensure that all traffic lights would be HPBS-ready once the government implements the project. “We need to harmonize it with our bus system because these buses should be prioritized, and should not stop at intersections, meaning they should be allowed to run continuously along their respective routes,” he said. Abude said his office was directed to identify the locations of the bus stops and monitor the operation of these buses. The National Economic Development (NEDA) Board approved the bus modernization project under the Build Better More program of the Marcos administration on Feb. 2. The project costs P73.4 billion and funding will be from various sources such as the Asian Development Bank and national and local budget. The government signed a $1-billion loan (P54.89 billion) agreement with the ADB on July 1 to finance the implementation of the city-wide HPBS. The project would be implemented within the third quarter of 2023, commence initial operations by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, and full operations by end of 2005. Abude said jeepney drivers will be trained by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on bus driving under the social development program. He said those who would pass the training would be prioritized for hiring as bus drivers. Those who would not make it would be hired for various jobs at bus terminals and depots. In a press statement on June 29, the ADB announced that the project would “deploy electric bus fleets at scale in support of the Philippines’ efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and promote climate action.” It said the loan would “support the procurement of a modern fleet of about 1,100 electric and Euro 5-standard diesel-fueled buses with operations managed by the private sector under performance-based contracts.” The ADB said the new fleet is expected to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions from public transport in Davao City by 60 percent. It added that the HPBS would service about 800,000 passengers in the country’s third-largest city by population daily. According to ADB, it would also include the “construction of around 1,000 bus stops with bright lighting and shelters, five bus depots and three bus terminals, and provide bus driving training for the new system.” “The project will upgrade the city’s public transport experience via an intelligent transport system that includes a bus location system, automatic fare collection systems, and Wi-Fi connectivity in buses, terminals, and depots,” it added. Abude said an estimated 7,000 public utility jeepneys would be gradually phased out. He said implementation of the project would significantly address the traffic condition in this city. “It will address traffic congestion. At present, the loading and unloading of PUJs is not proper. With the bus system, we have specific bus stops, and they cannot stop in between bus stops,” he said. Once operational, the HPBS will have 29 bus routes divided into the following four tiers: Metro Davao (will form the core services that connect all major commercial centers along five routes), Davao Inter (will run along with eight routes connecting the inner urban areas directly to the Davao Central Business District), Davao Feeder (will run along nine routes linking smaller centers and areas of more dispersed populations to the Metro Davao services), and Davao Local (will provide a link between the outer rural areas of the city and main transport system or the integrated terminals).