CBRT delays: Who pays the price?

Every morning, I leave home early hoping to beat the traffic, yet I still end up stuck for almost an hour along Osmeña Boulevard. By the time I arrive at school, I am already drained before the day has even started.

- By John Clyde A. Rusiana, Political Science Student University of Cebu

If you live in Cebu, this probably sounds familiar. You do not need statistics to know that traffic is our daily misery. You have felt it yourself: sitting in a jeepney that hardly moves, glancing at your watch as you're late for work or school, or standing on the roadside breathing in exhaust while hoping the next ride finally comes.

Traffic in Cebu is not just an inconvenience. It is stolen time. Time away from family dinners. Time lost for students who want to study. Time wasted for workers who could have been more productive.

This is why so many of us once placed our hopes in the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit, or CBRT. The idea was simple but powerful. Modern buses with their own lanes, moving faster, safer, and on time. It was supposed to change the way we travel and show that Cebu could have a world-class transport system.