Latest News

CEBU CITY: The Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project management will tap a university here, as it complies with the archeological impact assessment as required by the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), the project management head said Wednesday. Engr. Norvin Imbong, Cebu BRT project manager, said the University of San Carlos (USC) here can conduct the assessment as required by Republic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 and the Environmental Management Bureau Memorandum Circular No. 005 series of 2014. Section 30 paragraph (d) of the law provides that 'any government or nongovernment infrastructure project or architectural site development shall include anthropological, archaeological and historical and heritage site conservation concerns in their Environmental Impact Assessment System.' Imbong's statement came after the commission asked the Department of Transportation to stop excavation works for the BRT bus station in front of the Cebu Provincial Capitol building. The provincial and the city governments are locking horns over the BRT project as it affects the capitol, a known Cebu landmark. NCAA also required the BRT management to submit development plans showing mitigation efforts to protect the sightline of the Capitol building and the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda. NCAA's letter came after Governor Gwencolyn Garcia ordered the private contractor to cease doing any work for the BRT station that will impede the vista of Cebu's landmark. 'Actually, we have already submitted documents to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines but we are yet to get a clearance. We are now working closely with NHCP and NCCA,' Imbong told the Philippine News Agency. While there is a stoppage of work near the capitol area, construction works in other packages such as the BRT stations at the Cebu South Bus Terminal, Cebu Normal University and the east side of the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda continue, Imbong added. Source: Philippines News Agency