By Darryl John Esguerra
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday ordered a one-month suspension in the planned full rehabilitation of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), citing the need to explore new ways that could shorten the project duration and ease public inconvenience.
The EDSA rehab, originally set to begin on June 13, aims to overhaul one of Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares.
“Meron tayong nakitang mga teknolohiya na hindi natin nagamit sa pagplano sa EDSA rehabilitation. Kaya ang instruction ko kay (Transportation) Secretary Vince Dizon at saka (Public Works and Highways) Secretary Manny Bonoan, ang sinabi ko pause muna sa rehabilitation. ‘Wag ninyo na muna gagawin (We’ve seen some technologies that we didn’t use in the planning of the EDSA rehabilitation. So, my instruction to Secretary Vince Dizon and Secretary Manny Bonoan is to pause the rehabilitation for now. Don’t push through with it yet),” Marcos said during the launch of a free fare scheme at the Metro Rail Transit-3 GMA-Kamuning Station in Quezon City.
The President emphasized the need to reassess the cost-benefit of the two-year rehabilitation project, citing the heavy traffic burden it would impose on hundreds of thousands of commuters and motorists using the 23-kilometer EDSA.
“Maganda sana ngunit malaking sakripisyo ang dalawang taon. Masyadong mabigat, masyadong mahigpit ang trapik (It’s a good plan, but two years would be a huge sacrifice. The traffic will be too heavy, too restrictive),” he said.
Marcos instructed his team to evaluate newer methods and innovations that could potentially cut the project timeline.
“We will find a better way na hindi masyado mahirap para sa ating mga kababayan (that won’t be too difficult for our fellow Filipinos),” he said.
The government earlier planned to roll out traffic mitigation measures during the construction, including an odd-even vehicle scheme and free access to limited portions of the Skyway Stage 3.
In response, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it will cancel the implementation of the odd-even scheme during the one-month suspension.
MMDA Chair Don Artes said the suspension is a chance to revisit the plan to ease the expected heavy traffic.
“The postponement will give us time to look for other traffic mitigating options for the EDSA rebuild which will be less than burdensome to motorists and commuting public,” he said in a statement.
The MMDA will continue implementing the existing number coding scheme. (PNA)
