Davao e-bus project gets $1-B ADB loan

The Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP) has secured a boost with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approving a $1-billion loan as support for low-carbon public transport in the Philippines.

“The project is set to transform the quality of Davao City’s public transport and support the city’s rapid economic growth with a low-carbon and climate-resilient bus system,” said Shuji Kimura, ADB senior transport specialist for Southeast Asia.

“Not only will this support the Philippines’ climate goals, but it will help to improve the lives of vulnerable populations especially women and the young who use public transport daily,” Kimura said.

In a statement, the Japan-led multilateral lender said Davao City’s DBTMP is the first project in the Philippines to deploy electric bus fleets at scale, contributing to the national government’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and promote climate action.

The project, which is the largest road-based public transport project in the country that is supported by the ADB, is also expected to serve as a pilot for overhauling the Philippine public road transport system.

The loan will support the procurement of a modern fleet of about 1,100 buses with operations managed by the private sector under performance-based contracts.

This fleet is expected to reduce by 60 percent the annual greenhouse gas emissions from public transport in Davao City.

Also expected to service about 800,000 passengers per day, the project includes the construction of around 1,000 bus stops with bright lighting and shelters, five bus depots and three bus terminals, as well as provide bus driving training for the new system.

Further, DPTMP will upgrade Davao City’s public transport experience via an intelligent transport system that includes a bus location system, automatic fare collection systems, and wifi connectivity in buses, terminals, and depots.

DPTMP is one of three Philippine projects that are included in the Asean Smart Cities Network, a ministry-level joint initiative between the government of Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The other two are projects initiated by the city governments of Manila and Cebu, which similarly harness digital technologies and data to operate more efficiently and become more livable.

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