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Cebu bus rapid transit ‘on par with Japan’ will be up in 2 years, mayor says

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/02/28/rapid-transit-2018-028118.jpg"/><figcaption>An illustration of a bus rapid transit system for planned use in Metro Manila. In Cebu city, Mayor Tommy Osmeña recently said that he sees a BRT service up and running in two years&#x27; time. <em>File Graphic</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña on Wednesday announced that a bus rapid transit (BRT) system with its own tap-and-go card will be available in the metro in two years&#x27; time.</p><p>&quot;Even with and despite the best efforts of the man who emphasizes the &#x27;presidential&#x27; more than the &#x27;assistant&#x27; part of his title along with his cohorts in the council, the first route for the BRT will be up in two years,&quot; Osmeña wrote in a Facebook post.</p><p>&quot;With the BRT and the BRT Card, Cebu will be the first city in the country to have an integrated mass transit and payment system on par with that of Korea and Japan.&quot;</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/tommyrosmena/posts/2002316556475195" data-width="auto"> </div><p>Presidential assistant for the Visayas Michael Diño previously said he is studying the cancellation of the BRT system in Cebu city.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/02/17/duterte-aide-mulls-scrapping-cebus-bus-rapid-transit">Duterte aide mulls scrapping Cebu&#x27;s bus rapid transit</a></li></ul><p>&quot;If this project is a waste of time, effort and money and it will become a total disaster in Cebu, then we have to stop,&quot; he said. </p><p>Osmeña added that Cebu&#x27;s BRT card could also be used at grocery stores and gas stations, and can be reloaded through a website, ATMs or businesses that use the payment system.</p><p>&quot;The BRT Card will be faster to use than a credit card and more secure since no personal information other than your name is linked to your account. Theft is deterred since the card will also function as a photo ID and, if lost, can be deactivated remotely through a website,&quot; Osmeña said.</p><p>&quot;For parents, you will be able to get a special card that tracks your children’s expenses and travel, as well as gives you the ability to top up their cards remotely.&quot;</p>

<p>Tommy Osmeña's declaration comes amid previous suggestions by presidential assistant Michael Diño to scrap the transit project.</p>

Tommy Osmeña's declaration comes amid previous suggestions by presidential assistant Michael Diño to scrap the transit project.