A lawmaker on Sunday announced that the revival of the mass rail transit (MRT) system project in Cebu would likely push through under the administration of President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd.

Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu urged Aquino’s would-be economic and transportation planners to be “aggressive” in pursuing the completion of the proposed MRT system in Central Visaya’s fastest-growing metropolis.

“The system has become absolutely necessary to enable Cebu to keep pace with rapid population growth and economic expansion,” Gullas said.

The lawmaker noted that the MRT system would boost Cebu’s economic productivity by easing Metro Cebu’s worsening traffic congestion.

Preliminary estimates for the MRT project have ranged from P46 billion to P55 billion.

The Department of Transportation and Communication previously signed a $1-billion build-operate-transfer agreement with the AMA Group of Holdings Corp. to build a 71-kilometer, three-phased MRT project in Metro Cebu.

The project would run through Metro Cebu from Carcar City in the south to Danao City in the north.

However, construction was stalled because the department faced difficulties in getting lower offers from other private entities.

Gullas’ fresh bid to revive the Metro Cebu MRT project came shortly after the Department of Public Works and Highways accepted an unsolicited proposal from Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. to build a P17-billion, 13.2-kilometer elevated road linking the North and South Luzon expressways.