Cebu BRT ready to start September operation 

The pilot operations for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will begin in September 2025, nearly a decade after the project secured funding, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said the pilot run would serve up to 70,000 commuters across three stations of the Cebu BRT's first phase. This phase covers a 2.38-kilometer bus lane extending from the Cebu South Bus Terminal to the Cebu Provincial Capitol along Osmeña Highway. Initial operations will include the Cebu South Bus Terminal, Cebu Normal University, and Fuente stations.

Dizon said the station at the Cebu Provincial Capitol is still under development, with its engineering design being revised from a curbside to a median configuration. Construction for this station will commence once plans are finalized. He added that the government is accelerating the construction of other stations to expand the BRT's reach and benefit more commuters.

The second and third phases of the Cebu BRT, comprising 13 stations and 62 bus stops, are slated for completion in 2028.

The concept for a BRT system in Cebu City emerged in the 1990s, with formal conceptualization starting in 2010. Following a feasibility study, the World Bank approved a $116 million loan for the project in 2014. The Washington-based multilateral lender has since recommended restructuring its loan, of which only 32% has been disbursed as it nears expiration. The World Bank has criticized the project's slow implementation, highlighting that major civil works packages have yet to be launched.

Funding for the Cebu BRT also comes from the French Development Agency and the Philippine government. Once fully operational, the Cebu BRT will span 17 kilometers of trunk service and 18 kilometers of feeder services in the north and south of the trunk lines. It will feature 22 stations, 62 bus stops, four terminals, and a depot, with the entire transit system expected to serve 164,000 passengers daily during full operations.