Megawide Construction Corp., led by businessman Edgar Saavedra, and its partner Maplecrest Group, Inc., is set to begin construction of the P1.87-billion Cavite Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in the second quarter of the year, with partial operations expected as early as September.

In a recent interview with reporters, Megawide chairman and CEO Saavedra stated that the initial phase of the BRT will serve the PITX-Imus-Trece Martires route.

Full operations, including all planned stations, are expected to be progressively completed within two years after the partial opening.

“The construction will begin in Q2 (second quarter), and by September, partial operations will start. Full operations will be progressive, so we expect that to happen within two years of the partial opening,” Saavedra said.

“We will begin running it by September, and traffic will build up gradually. It will take around two years for the entire facility to be completed, but we will start even without all the stations — just the bus sheds,” he added.

The project, which aims to connect Cavite to Metro Manila, will feature a 42-kilometer BRT system with dedicated lanes and a 26.5-kilometer point-to-point (P2P) route linking the province to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).

The system is designed to significantly reduce travel time and provide scheduled trips, regardless of passenger load.

“There will be dedicated BRT lanes, shorter travel times, and scheduled trips. Travel time will be cut by at least 50 - 60 percent,” Saavedra said.

According to Saavedra, the initial ridership is expected to reach 10,000 daily passengers, with numbers projected to grow to 50,000 within three years, depending on Cavite’s urban development.

The Cavite BRT system, viewed as a prototype for efficient land transport solutions, is already well-funded and supported by the Cavite LGU.

Saavedra also highlighted the potential for replicating this BRT model in other provinces and urban areas. He noted that while Metro Manila projects may require a solicited approach, Cavite was unique as no rival bids were submitted.

Based on the contract awarded by the Cavite government to Megawide and MapleCrest, the project will be developed in two phases. Phase 1 includes the construction of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, 27 BRT stations along a 15-kilometer route, and a 26.5-kilometer P2P route from PITX to Terminal 2.

Phase 2 involves the construction of Terminal 3 and an additional 20 stations, covering 13.79 kilometers from Station 27 to the New Capitol Building in Cavite.

Megawide and Maplecrest submitted an unsolicited proposal for the Cavite BRT System in April 2023, which was approved by the Cavite LGU in October 2023.

The project underwent negotiations and competitive bidding before being awarded to the original proponents.