Davao Public Transport Modernization Project

The Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP) or simply the Davao Bus Project and formerly known as the High Priority Bus System (HPBS), is a 672-kilometer bus route network under construction in Davao City, Philippines. This project is part of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).^[1][2]

Davao Bus Project
Overview
Owner	Department of Transportation (DOTr)
Area served	Davao City and Panabo City, Philippines
Transit type	Bus System
Number of lines	29
Number of stations	1,000
Daily ridership	~800,000
Chief executive	Tristan Dwight Domingo (City Government of Davao) & Nestor Kilian Tabada (DOTr)
Operation
Operation will start	2026 (partial)
Number of vehicles	1,105 (~400 electric)
Technical
System length	672 km (418 mi)

Background

In 2015, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) was tapped by the Philippine Government to help improve and modernize the public transportation in Davao City pursuant to Philippines Presidential Administrative Order No. 254 series of 2009 for an environmentally sustainable transport for the Philippines.^[3][4]

Coordination between the ADB and the City Government of Davao progressed in 2017 during the term of former mayor Sara Duterte. Implementation of the High Priority Bus Project (HPBS) was expected to begin during 2019 with the funding of ADB through an Official Development Assistance agreement.^[5] The project also coincided with the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) of country under former president Rodrigo Duterte.^[6]

In 2018, the project's target implementation date was moved. The estimated cost of the project was also estimated to be at ₱3.6 Billion courtesy of the loan from ADB, and had only 5 routes in total.^[7]

In 2019, the local city government allocated ₱100 Million for the preliminary implementation of HPBS. It was counterpart of the said loan from the ADB. The target year of implementation of the project was set by 2022.^[8] With the approval of the National Economic and Development Authority on the project, the budget was expanded to ₱18.6 Billion, with 29 routes throughout the city and is divided into 4 tiers.^[9]

In 2020, the project was formally known as the "Davao Public Transport Modernization Project".^[10] But with the outbreak of the COVID-19, the implementation of the project was uncertain and put on hold due to lockdowns and resources being diverted to curb the effect of the pandemic. In 2021, the project's full operation date was again moved to the 3rd quarter of 2023.^[11] An Interim Bus System was launched in preparation to the project with routes to Toril and Catalunan Grande.^[12]

In 2023, NEDA approved the expansion of the project which saw the budget of the project increase to almost ₱80 Billion. The expected contribution of the local government increased to ₱1.5 Billion throughout the whole project implementation.^[13] The formal contract signing of the loan agreement happened in July with ADB officials and the Philippine Government led by president Bongbong Marcos^[14]

And in 2024, contracts for the civil works of the project which includes bus stops, bus lanes, depots, and terminals of the projects were signed.^[15] However, the project has been hounded with postponements caused by right of way issues concerning 32 landowners.^[16]

Routes

Routes of Davao Bus Project. Posted by former DOTr Secretary Art Tugade.

The HPBS will have a 4-tier system with 12 interchange locations.^[17][18]

Metro Davao

Metro Davao

Route	Origin and Destination (vice versa)	Notes
M1	Panabo City ↔ Roxas Avenue
M2	Matina Aplaya ↔ Bunawan
M3	Bago Aplaya ↔ Sasa Port
M4	Toril ↔ SM Lanang
M5	Calinan ↔ Sta. Ana Avenue

M1 (Panabo City ↔ Roxas Avenue)
Legend
Panabo City Lasang Bunawan Tibungco Panacan Sasa Port Agdao Ateneo de Davao University City Center
† Diagram not to scale

M2 (Matina Aplaya ↔ Bunawan)
Legend
Matina Aplaya SM City Davao Davao City Hall City Center Ateneo de Davao University Magsaysay Park Santa Ana Port Bajada Buhangin Francisco Bangoy International Airport Panacan Tibungco Bunawan
† Diagram not to scale

M3 (Bago Aplaya ↔ Sasa Port)
Legend
Bago Aplaya Puan Ulas Matina Crossing NCCC Mall Maa Bankerohan City Center Gaisano Mall of Davao NCCC Mall VP Ayala Malls Abreeza Bajada SM Lanang Sasa Port Bunawan
† Diagram not to scale

M4 (Toril ↔ SM Lanang)
Legend
Toril Puan Ulas Matina Crossing SM Ecoland City Center SM Lanang
† Diagram not to scale

M5 (Calinan ↔ Sta. Ana Avenue)
Legend
Calinan Tugbok Mintal Ulas Matina Crossing NCCC Mall Maa Bankerohan City Center Santa Ana Port
† Diagram not to scale

Davao Inter

Route	Origin and Destination (vice versa)	Notes
21	Talomo Proper ↔ Sta. Ana Avenue
31	Calinan ↔ Roxas Avenue
41	Mandug ↔ Davao City Hall
42	Maa ↔ Sasa
43	Langub ↔ Magsaysay Park
61	Acacia ↔ Davao City Hall
62	Buhangin Proper ↔ Roxas Avenue
63	Mandug ↔ Davao City Hall

Davao Feeder

Route	Origin and Destination (vice versa)	Notes
101	San Isidro ↔ Francisco Bangoy International Airport
102	Bunawan ↔ Terminal Sasa Port
103	Tibungco ↔ Panacan
201	Toril Terminal ↔ Mintal
202	Toril Fish Port ↔ Ecoland Drive
203	Bangkas ↔ Mintal
301	Mintal ↔ Calinan
302	Calinan Terminal ↔ Mintal
601	Cabantian ↔ Matina Aplaya

Davao Local

Route	Origin and Destination (vice versa)	Notes
291	Baracatan ↔ Eden
292	Catigan ↔ Tagurano
293	Lumondao ↔ Calinan
294	Carmen ↔ Inayangan
295	Tambobong ↔ Calinan
391	Daliaon Plantation ↔ Toril Fish Port
691	Tugbok Davao ↔ MRP Station

Funding and planning

The whole project will have an estimated cost of ₱73.37 Billion.^[19][20]

Project contract packages

The planned construction is divided into eight Contract Packages (CP).^[21] The Department of Transportation (DOTr) awarded three contracts to China International Water & Electrical Corporation. CP01 is for designing and building Buhangin and Calinan Depot, and for a driving school. CP02 is for Toril Depot and Terminal, and Bunawan and Calinan Terminals. CP03 is for roadworks and pedestrian infrastructure such as bus stops and bus lanes. The CP04 was awarded to the joint-venture of China Wu Yi, Fujian Construction and Engineering, and Vicente Lao Construction, which is the contract for Sasa and Sto. Niño Depot.^[22]

Contract Packages 5 up to 8 are still on the bidding processes. CP05 deals with the supply and maintenance services for the diesel bus fleet, meanwhile CP06 is for the electric bus fleet. CP07 is for the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). The last package, CP08 is for setting up the Automatic Fare Collection Systems (AFCS).^[23]

Issues and criticisms

For its implementation, various infrastructure must be built such as bus depots and terminal. Several Indigenous People's communities are expected to be affected by the said constructions. It includes IP tribes in the Districts of Baguio, Calinan, Marilog, and Toril in Davao City.^[24]

Various transport groups in the city such as PISTON-Southern Mindanao expressed their opposition to the project, citing that it will kill the livelihood of all jeepney drivers in the city.^[25] They raised concern on the challenges the project may impose for small operators and drivers in the city.^[26]

Despite the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program which imposed consolidation among individual jeepney operators, Davao City is exempted from such consolidation due to DPTMP taking place. Making it the only city in the country to be exempted drew flak from various transport cooperatives nationwide.^[27]

DC Bus (Davao City Interim Bus Service)

In 2021, an Interim Bus System was launched in preparation to the project with routes to Toril and Catalunan Grande.^[12]

In 2025, the City Government of Davao is set to acquire 10 units of Yutong ZK6126HG low-entry buses to serve DC Bus. It will initially cover 7 routes in the city. it will have features such as GPS, CCTVs, TV screen, and bicycle racks among others. Each unit costs ₱9.9 million, funded through the City's Supplemental Budget No. 3, FY 2024. ^[28]