Rey Anthony H. Chiu
SAN JUAN, Siquijor,
Sept 28 (PIA) -- If you happen to be among the people inconvenienced
by the far-from-seamless airport to port transfer in Mactan Cebu to Bohol, then
here is a good news: the Regional Development Council 7 (RDC-7) is now
laying the ground works for a High Quality Public Transport System (HQPTS) as
an airport-to-port seamless travel connectivity that will make the long nagging
hassle of airport transfer a thing of the past.
HQPTS would deploy high quality
buses that could interface with the existing Cebu traffic and the proposed Cebu
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System. It was already franchised for 77 bus
units to ply identified routes.
HQPTS would accordingly be a
precursor of a BRT System complete with bus stops and stations, electronic
card-based fare collection system using modern air-conditioned and low platform
design friendly for persons with disabilities, using state of the art Euro-5
emission compliant diesel engines, which is also hoped top jumpstart the
adoption of Euro-4 emission compliant engines and fuels in the country.
Earlier, Panglao resort-owners have
been apprehensive because catering to international guests appear to be a
challenge to them, especially now that the dream of Panglao Airport appears too
far to be hoped for.
David Baile, a Briton owner of Alona
Citadel in Panglao, said his guests tell him it is tough to book to Bohol.
Apart from no online booking for
ferries in Bohol which would have facilitated a tourist’s seamless travel, he
would see that he could be left fending for himself and his family scouring for
a transport that could bring him to the pier to Bohol.
Baile has aired apprehensions of
Cebu getting a taxi and the inconveniences it could offer: overcharging,
luggage loss, and limited shuttle space for large groups.
The problem is even complicated by
the fact that as he is dropped at the port terminal building, he has to take
the queue of regular passengers to Bohol to obtain a ticket.
Ferry ticket booths also happen to
be outside the port, which leaves him leaving his luggage, risking untoward
incidents.
Through RDC resolution 36 series of
series of 2014, the RDC requested Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority
(MCIAA) to allow shuttle service operators to provide land transfer
service from the airport to Cebu seaports for seamless travel connectivity.
RDC Economic Development Committee
worked on the proposed airport-port seamless travel connectivity with the HQPTS
and met with MCIAA, Cebu Port Authority to discuss the details of the land
transfer concern and looked into the cooperation of SM Prime Holdings which
earlier planned to field buses taking the Mactan International Airport.
On this, the RDC has reviewed LGU
traffic synchronization and bus stations and stops while SM Prime Holdings has
secured permits for moving trees that would be affected in identified bus
stations, and the use of certain road right of way sections as terminals.
RDC then passed Resolution No.
27 (2015) requesting the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Central Office to speed up the issuance of tree permit relocations for those
affected by the HQPTS. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Boho)