An official of the regional office of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA 11) disclosed on Thursday the US$5 million fund the Department of Finance (DOF) will use for the enhancement of the Social Development Plan (SDP). updates on the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP).
The P18.66-billion project to be funded through official development assistance (ODA) and one of the big-ticket projects of the Duterte administration for Davao Region, includes three components: Public Transport System Improvement, Institutional Capacity Strengthening, and Social Development Program (SDP).
“The technical assistance facility amounting to US$5 million shall be provided as part of the project preparation and capacity building specifically on the preparation and enhancement of the social development plan is now being prepared by the Department of Finance,” said Maria Lourdes Lim, regional director of NEDA.
The project includes the development of improved public transport operations that will cover the full urban area and cater for the growth in travel demand at the cities expanding edges. The project will overhaul the outdated services that provide a poor level of service in terms of coverage area, hours of operation, and passenger comfort and facilities. It will improve a city-wide bus-based public transport operating system, with improved and modern franchising mechanisms that ensure supply meets demand.
This will be supported through traffic management improvements to prioritize bus services along with a core network of around 110 kilometers (km). The core network will form part of an integrated and system-wide operation with feeder routes covering an additional 400 route-km and associated passenger infrastructure and bus terminal facilities. The improved franchising mechanism will promote performance-based contracts, integrated fare collection systems, and streamlined service operations.
The initial implementation of the DPTMP is already ongoing with the implementation of Davao City’s Interim Bus System (IBS).
“You may have observed buses now ply the inner-city routes,” Lim said.
In June this year, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Davao Region said (LTFRB-Davao) has started operating the IBS through Catalunan Grande and C.P Garcia Highway routes.
Meanwhile, Lim said the city government of Davao has been conducting preparation activities enjoining the affected drivers and the bus operators for DPTMP.
