(photo: DOTr)
Davao City will soon have its own bus rapid system following the signing of four agreements that will pave the way for what the Department of Transportation (DOTr) described as a high-quality transportation system.
Funded with P73.4 billion by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said the 672-kilometer Davao Public Transport Modernization Program (DPTMP) will create a network of efficient public utility vehicle (PUV) operations across Metro Davao and nearby communities.
“We begin today the metamorphosis of public transport in the whole of Mindanao starting here in Davao City. This will serve as a benchmark for other urban road projects that aim to radically transform public transport,” said Bautista after the signing of the agreements on Wednesday, Feb 7.
The contracts cover four civil works contracts for the construction of depots, terminals, bus stops, bus lanes, pedestrian lanes, and a driving school under the DPTMP.
They also include the design and construction of the Calinan Depot, Buhangin Depot, and Driving School; design and construction of the Toril Depot, Toril Intermodal Terminal, Bunawan Terminal, and Calinan Terminal; civil works along bus routes including bus stops, bus lanes and other pedestrian improvement works; and design and build contract for Sasa and Sto. Niño Depot.
The bus-based transportation system will have a core service lane connecting major commercial centers, nine feeder routes, eight routes to inner urban areas and links between outer rural areas and terminals in Davao City, Panabo City, and Davao del Norte.
The DPTMP operation is similar to the EDSA bus rapid transit system which is separated from normal road traffic in most of its stretch by concrete barriers on the innermost lane.
Bautista said the Davao Bus will likewise complement the PUV Modernization Program as it will be utilizing 386 electric buses, 531 regular and 188 mini-buses.
Bautista said the partial operation of the DPTM by the fourth quarter of 2025 and full operation in 2026.