A bus rapid transit (BRT) system connecting Pampanga and Tarlac could be up and running by 2027, according to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
According to a report by Inquirer.net, the BRT route could be at least 50km long, serving New Clark City in Tarlac (pictured below) and Clark International Airport as well as the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga. The result of the feasibility study being conducted by the World Bank is expected to be out by October this year.
“It is a mass transport. It is what we want,” said Joshua Bingcang, president and CEO of BCDA. “Less pollution, less cars.”
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BCDA intends to execute the project, which has an estimated cost of P3 billion to P5 billion, via a public-private partnership, with BRT operations to be handled by the private sector. Bidding is expected to take place in late 2024 or early 2025. The construction of the multimodal transport hubs and bus stations along the route is estimated to take two years.
The BRT system will feature cashless payment and smart technologies to monitor the locations and arrival times of the buses. Bingcang shared that the stations will also have commercial spaces for restaurants and retail outlets. “Most of the transport operations do not earn money from passenger fees but on the real estate,” he explained. “We’ll partner with real estate to make it viable.”
