Improving Public Transport:

BRT Development in the

Philippines
Cresencio Dayo Montalbo Jr.
Assoc. Professor, School of Urban & Regional Planning
Faculty Fellow, National Center for Transportation Studies
University of the Philippines
Asian Public Policy Center Conference
Ho Chin Minh Cty, Vietnam
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June 5-6, 2014

Outline of Presentation

Urban transport situation

Comparison of mass transit options

Lessons from international experience

BRT as public transport reform

BRT development in Philippine cities

Opportunities & Challenges for BRT in the Philippines

Traffic Congestion

Urban transport problems

Huge investments and long
implementations times for rail-based
systems

Environment
Energy

BRT as alternative mass

transit system
Road Safety

Public Transport Quality

P105B (2.6% of GDP)

What is BRT?
BRT is a surface metro system
that can be delivered at a
fraction of the cost of rail.
Some Features

Lloyd Wright

Segregated, median busways

with median stations
Pre-board fare collection and
fare verification
Free transfers between
corridors
Competitively bid concessions
High frequency service and low
station dwell times, adherence
to set SCHEDULE
Clean bus technologies
Modal integration
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Identity & Image
Incremental Development

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Source:
GTZ, BRT
Planning Guide

The economics of mass transit

How much transit
does Php 43 billion
(US$ 1 billion) buy?

7 kilometers of subway/ metro

14 kilometers of elevated rail

426 kilometers of BRT!

Source: Lloyd Wright

Lessons from international experience

Lagos BRT Lite

Johannasburgs Rea Vaya

Jakartas TransJakarta

Delhi Busway

Ahmeddabads Janmarg

Lessons learned

Political, governance, and planning context

Institutional issues

Meaningful public transport reform

Institutional capacity, structures, organizations

Need for identified corridors

Need for champions from various sectors

Public transport system integration

Integration with other modes including NMT is indispensable

Process begins with user needs identification, understanding of travel demand,

development of service plan, and identification of needed infrastructure
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BRT planning process

Lessons learned (2)

Operating arrangements

Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) manages the day-to-day operations of the system
while outsourcing different aspects of operations to qualified entities

Bus services usually provided by qualified bus operators some of which are
incumbent operators, paid on gross-cost contract

Entirely different business model!

Finance

Infrastructure provided by the government

Buses provided by operators who are paid on gross-cost contract

Recurring costs from farebox & other sources

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Lessons learned (3)

Communications

Need to make people understand BRT and its benefits

Different messages for different audiences

Sense of ownership & sense of accountability

Branding

Captures and conveys BRTs message

Represents an image and a promise

Aims to erase stigma of public transport use

There are soft aspects of BRT that shape its

sustainability aside from physical infrastructure.
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BRT as Public Transport Reform

Not just a new mass transit system

Creates opportunities for meaningful public transport reform

Capacity development of institutions

Integration with other public transport modes

Attainment of order from erstwhile chaos

Improvement of public transport system

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BRT Development in the Philippines

Cebu City

Metro Manila

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TransCebu

A segregated busway between Bulacao and Ayala Mall

Stations and terminals along the segregated busway route

A depot for the garaging of buses designated to operate as BRT services

An Area Traffic Control (ATC) System to facilitate priority run times within the
corridor and give city wide benefits of improved traffic flow

An open service plan that ensures that while infrastructure is limited to that
between Bulacao and Ayala, BRT services operate beyond this. Specifically in
the case of Ayala Mall to Talamban where bus passage will be facilitated by
bus priority measures where required and where achievable within the
confines of the roadway.

Traffic management measures to improve traffic flow outside of the corridor

that are seen to complement the BRT and maximize its impact
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The Cebu City BRT Project

Segregated busway: Bulacao CBD Ayala Mall
BRT services operating to:
SRP
Talamban
Tabunok/Talisay
City Wide Area Traffic Control
Traffic management

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Service Plan

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Interchange with jeepneys

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TransCebu (2)

Parking management measures that will similarly complement BRT and

improve traffic flow

Interchange improvements to offer enhancement to the level of service

received by all public transport passengers irrespective of whether they use
BRT or not

Urban planning improvements consisting of public realm enhancements and

enhanced integration of transport and land use.

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Station lay-out

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Cebu BRT Project Objectives

Improved mobility of people in Cebu

Viable and sustainable BRT

More efficient travel

Revitalised urban area along BRT

corridor

More environment-friendly travel

Safer travel
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Metro Manila Corridor Improvement Project

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Source: Google Earth 2012

Scheme Objectives

To offer significant improvement in public transport and accessibility better

level of service efficiently delivered

To implement in short time period at least start by 2016

Why Quezon Avenue

Relatively wide

High public transport use

Only two LGUs

Integration with MRT

No major issues
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PUB Service directly

impacting upon the
corridor

Just 1 PUB service

Operated by 25 different companies
Consisting of 258 vehicles (50:50 A/C non
A/C)
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Scheme Concept (Quality+Deliverability)

Manage key risk elements:
Social impact
Environmental impact
Acquisition issues

Work with PUV services that offer direct competition:

9 PUJ routes (361 operators and 430 units)

1 PUB route (25 operators and 258 buses)

Infrastructure where most needed: Philcoa - Manila City Hall

.. but services running from Fairview (north of the segregated

portion) to prevent the need for passenger interchange

Infrastructure within existing Right of Way

Retention of as many trees as possible.

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Between Philcoa and Manila City

Hall a high level of physical
segregation
Underpass for express
Emphasis on key interchanges
Station spacing related to
delivery and role of residual
PUJ network
Between Philcoa and Fairview
Mix with traffic
Stop improvements
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Phased Implementation
At outset just 9 PUJ routes and 1 PUB route affected
PUJ still have a role
As congestion degrades run times of PUJ/PUB priority bus
becomes more attractive
Infrastructure upgrade at/around year 10
Additional stations
Passing lanes at stations
To replace ALL existing PUV

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Opportunities & Challenges for BRT in

the Philippines

Opportunities

Recognition of BRT as part of the governments National Environmentally

Sustainable Transport (NEST) Framework

Availability of funds for planning & development

Opportunities for private sector participation

Need and desire for quicker solutions

Vibrant and lively social media

Challenges

Constant need to change peoples mindsets

Traditional preference for expensive and slow-to-implement mass transit solutions

Lack of understanding of land use-transport integration benefits

Conflicts with the private car sector

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Are we ready for BRT?

We do not inherit the earth from
our ancestors,
we borrow it from our children.
~Native American Proverb

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