The City government of Davao, with a loan secured by the national government from the Asian Development Bank, is now set to meet the targets for the implementation of its bus modernization project.
Davao City Administrator Tristan Dwight Domingo, in an interview with Madayaw on July 1, 2023, said that the city has come a long way in pushing for the bus modernization project. He said that after the loan signing, they are now heading towards project implementation.
âWe have to make sure that the start that we did today ma-maintain ang momentum as we move towards the actual implementation. At this point, we hope to meet the actual targets nato for the implementation. I think by the end of 2024, hopefully, we can see some of the buses already running in the city ( We have to make sure that with the start we did today, we can maintain the momentum as we move towards the actual implementation. At this point, we hope to meet the actual targets we have for the implementation. I think I think by the end of 2024, hopefully, we can see some of the buses already running in the city),â Domingo said.
The formal signing of the USD 1,710.78 million loan agreement between the national government, through the Department of Finance and the ADB for the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP), at Acacia Hotel on July 1, 2023, signaled the start of the implementation of the Davao Bus Project. The signing was led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. representing the national government and ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.
With the Davao Bus, an extensive network of 29 routes covering 672 km of roads shall seamlessly connect key areas within Davao City up to Panabo City.
A total of 1,105 buses will be plying along these roads, nearly 400 of which will be electric-articulated buses and the rest complying with Euro V standards for diesel-powered buses. These modern buses will be low floors for easy boarding and alighting, equipped with CCTV cameras, wheelchair bays and designated seats for pregnant and women with children, and elderly prioritizing passenger comfort, safety, and accessibility.
“Bus Only” lanes, queue jump, and an Intelligent Transportation System or ITS will be in place to ensure efficient bus operations.
Over 1,000 bus stops will be constructed. Along with these, five depots, three terminals, a driver training facility, pedestrian crossings, and sidewalk improvements, will be established for a well-coordinated and pedestrian-friendly transportation system.
The conceptualization of the bus project started under the leadership of then-Mayor and former president Rodrigo Duterte after the ADB initiated studies that led to the vision for an integrated and sustainable urban transport system in the city.
In 2018, the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, then known as the High Priority Bus System Project, was conceptualized and then officially adopted by the then Mayor and now Vice President Sara Z. Duterte for implementation.
In July 2022, the new city administration pushed for the funding of the Davao Bus Project.
Last February 2, 2023, the Davao Bus Project was officially approved by the NEDA Board with a total project cost of Php 73.4 billion, over Php 52 billion of which, is via a loan from the ADB.
To date, the city government has vowed to allocate at least Php 1.5 billion as part of the cityâs contribution and a firm commitment to implement the Davao Bus project.
The Davao Bus project is set to commence initial operations by the end of the year 2024 and aims to achieve full operations by the end of 2025. It is estimated to serve more than 800,000 passengers daily. CIO
