THE Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is expected to be fully complete by 2030, two years later than initially planned, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said on Thursday.

Speaking at the Philippine Economic Briefing in Cebu, he said the transit system’s new deadline pushes back completion from the earlier-targeted date of 2028.

The 35-kilometer BRT “will transform mobility in Cebu, providing efficient, reliable, and sustainable public transport for our people,” Mr. Recto said.

He did not provide further details on the new delay.

The government broke ground on the first package of the project in 2023. It is expected to serve up to 169,000 passengers per day once completed.

“After over a decade of planning, its first package is targeted to be open to the public by this quarter,” Mr. Recto said.

According to a July World Bank report, construction on the Cebu BRT has slowed, with major civil works packages yet to be launched. It recommended restructuring to ensure completion before the loan agreement expires.

On July 23, then-Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon said at least three stations of the transit system are expected to commence partial operations this month.

Meanwhile, Mr. Recto said the government will continue to ramp up efforts to boost regional tourism in the region, with the privatization of international airports like Laguindingan in northern Mindanao and Bohol-Panglao.

“In the next three years, we aim to award 12 more regional airports, including the Puerto Princesa International Airport,” he said.

Mr. Recto added that 40 patrol vessels to be acquired by the Philippine Coast Guard from the French shipbuilder OCEA will be assembled in Cebu.

He noted that growth in the Central Visayas averaged 7.3% over the past two years, outpacing the national average of 5.9% since President Marcos Jr. took office in 2022. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante