This Week in Cebu (June 2 to 8, 2019)

Summer has ended as rainy weather is starting to dominate the Cebu skyline once again. The week starts with a thunderstorm in the morning before setting for a bit of cloudy weather as the sun sets over the horizon [1]. The damp weather continues until Wednesday before the sun takes a short peek from behind the clouds on Thursday. But this is a brief respite from wet conditions as the rain starts to fall again over the weekend. Saturday may be partly sunny, but showers are expected in the evening. Temperatures for the week are expected to be between 25°C and 34°C.

Motorists going to or coming from the south can breathe a sigh of relief as the Mambaling underpass along Natalio Bacalso Avenue is set to be opened by the middle of June [2]. Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) head Francisco Ouano said traffic along the main thoroughfares of the city was notably reduced when the underpass was temporarily opened for two days in May. The underpass will be accessible to private vehicles while public utility jeepneys (PUJs) will use the side roads.

Cebu is on its way to having both the bus rapid transit (BRT) system and light rail transit (LRT) system [3]. This was revealed recently by Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino. The two transport systems will be a part of the Integrated Inter-Modal Transport System (IITS). Aside from the BRT and LRT, the IITS will also consist of a monorail in Lapu-Lapu City and a point-to-point (P2P) bus system. The integrated traffic system is expected to alleviate the current traffic situation in the Queen City of the South.

Following the approval of House Bill 149, the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is on its way to getting a second runway. Authored by Representative Raul Del Mar, the bill makes the plan for a second runway in one of the busiest airports in the country closer to reality [4]. The bill is currently just waiting for Senate approval. The second runway will be equipped with runway lighting systems, navigational and landing equipment, and taxiways and rapid exit taxiways (RET). The current runway of the MCIA is expected to reach 202,000 airport movements capacity per year by 2024.

The international passenger service charge (IPSC) or terminal fee of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is expected to be integrated into the airfare soon [5]. The planned integration is expected to make international travel convenient to passengers leaving through the MCIA. Steve Dicdican, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) general manager, said the integration will start on June 1. It is expected to be fully implemented after a three-month transition period. Currently, international travelers have to line up to pay for the PhP850 terminal fee at Terminal 2 of MCIA. Passengers buying tickets starting September 1 will see the terminal fee reflected on their airfare.

PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc. is currently raising funds for an integrated casino resort in Mactan Island [6]. The Dennis Uy-owned company aims to secure funding of around $600 million through a combination of equity and debt for The Emerald in Mactan. Thirty percent of the funding will come from equity while the remaining 70 percent will come through a loan. Raymundo Martin Escalona, PH Resorts Group president, said the company is looking at completing funding requirements within three months. The Emerald is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

Tourists will now have another option in booking tours when they visit Cebu. Grab recently launched its Rent feature, which allows users to book a tourist car with a driver [7]. Grab Cebu senior city manager Raymond Dejan said the new feature allows users to visit popular tourist destinations in Cebu. Four-seater sedans and ten-seater vans are available at different rates. Rates for the sedan range from PhP500 up to PhP6,000 while van rates are between PhP800 and PhP8,000. The tour is currently limited to areas within Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City.

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