Partial operation of Cavite BRT set for Sept ’25

By September, commuters will be able to use the Cavite bus rapid transit (BRT) as Megawide Construction Corp. targets to start partial operations ahead of the holiday season when passenger volume usually picks up.

Megawide CEO Edgar Saavedra, in an interview last week in Makati, said construction of the P1.87-billion BRT project was set to commence in the second quarter.

He said commuters can expect to cut their travel time by at least half when using the transport system that is designed with dedicated bus lanes. He also said the BRT would have scheduled trips, allowing commuters to better estimate their travel time.

Initially, Saavedra said they were projecting about 10,000 daily ridership. But this could go as high as 50,000 when all the stations of the BRT are operational, he added.

Megawide received the notice of award from the local government of Cavite on Jan. 8. The company is working with local investment holdings company Maplecrest Group Inc. for this project.

The BRT project will span 42 kilometers across the cities and municipalities of Cavite—particularly Imus, General Trias, Tanza, Kawit, and Trece Martires—and surrounding areas to provide a link to Meto Manila.

According to the terms of the project, the project will include 37 stations and three terminals.

The chosen private concessionaires, who are tasked with financing and constructing the project, are granted a 30-year concession period. The assets will be turned over to the government after.

It will be connected to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, giving commuters a point-to-point link between Cavite and Metro Manila.

Comparative challenge

Meanwhile, Megawide’s proposed P1.19-billion Baguio City Integrated Terminal Project is set to undergo a comparative challenge this year, according to the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines.

In this stage, the government agency will invite other proposals that can rival the offer of Megawide. The original proponent is then allowed to match counter offers during the process; if no better offer is filed, Megawide will emerge as the winner.

The transport hub—which will cater to provincial buses from outside of Baguio City—covers the operations and maintenance of an intermodal transport facility along Marcos Highway. INQ