Cebu: The Road & Ride to Progress

General Maxilom Avenue used to be called Mango Avenue because the thoroughfare was lined with Mango trees.

But the trees fell victims to the chainsaws of progress, to make way for a wider road. Several of the city's landmarks have also disappeared in the name of progress. Factors like the increase in population and a growing economy have strained the city's already limited infrastructure.

Migrants have flocked to the city to look for jobs. The number of the student population has also risen, a big chunk of which comes from neighboring provinces. The Cebu City Government established a body to tackle these problems by improving the infrastructure and coming up with new ones. Thus, the Metro Cebu Development Project was born.

Back in 1997, MCDP members talked about implementing the Cebu circumferential road and mass transport system. The National Economic and Development Authority also discussed having a metro authority to implement mjor projects.

A year before in July, a British film interested in building a tunnel linking Cebu and Mactan islands as well as a light rail transit system in the province presented its plans to Gov. Pablo Garcia. Garcia said officials of the Costain Marine International Ltd., accompanied by Rep. Eduardo Gullas also told him of their plans to construct a dam at Lusaran.

Earlier, another British firm expressed some interest in building the LRT system here but was reluctant to undertake it through BOT (build-and-operate scheme). Gullas filed a bill in Congress seeking to create a mass transit authority for cebu. The bill calls for the extension of the proposed LRT system to include Danao City in the north and Carcar in the south.

The existing plan covers only the length between Mandaue City and Talisay. The establishment of housing projects in Consolacion and Lilo-an in the north and Minglanilla in the south underscores the need for a faster mass transit system.

Several vehicular accidents have also emphasized the need for a safer means of transportation for Cebu.