DESPITE the City Government of Davao being prepared to launch the Davao Bus Project—formerly known as the High Priority Bus Lane—the national government has yet to release the necessary funds.
Tristan Dwight Domingo, assistant city administrator and project manager, during the Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, said that while the national government is preparing next year’s budget, unresolved funding issues from the previous year remain.
“Nagpaabot gihapon ta karon sa pondo na kinahanglanon aron mapaspasan na nato sa pag implementar sa project (We’re still waiting for the funds needed to fast-track the project’s implementation),” he said.
Domingo said that the required funds are categorized under “unprogrammed appropriations,” a complex funding mechanism involving two aspects: available budget and savings. The timing of these funds’ release to the local government unit (LGU) remains uncertain, contributing to the project’s delay.
He noted that the LGU is prepared to move forward with the project, but additional hires are complicated due to the lack of immediate tasks.
Although the project team has 30 employees, experts recommend increasing this number to around 120. The city plans to hire additional staff as soon as funding is confirmed.
Training slots for operators and drivers are nearly full, but there are concerns about retaining the information due to the project’s delay.
The bus project is set to expand to 31 routes from the previous 29, covering 672 km of roads and extending to Panabo City. The plan includes operating at least 1,105 buses along over 1,000 bus stops.
Originally, operations were scheduled to start by the end of 2024 and be fully operational by 2025. Domingo hopes for completion by 2028. RGP
