A House leader lauded on Monday the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to temporarily suspend the EDSA-Rebuild project in favor of developing a better plan that would significantly shorten its implementation using modern technologies.
Incoming Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan agreed with President Marcos position, instructing the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and other concerned agencies to further study and concretize plans on how to better implement the EDSA Rebuild Project by speeding up its construction to six months using modern technology.
The President announced his decision on Sunday to lessen the inconvenience it would bring to commuters and motorists.
“This move shows a caring President who always takes into consideration the welfare and interests of the Filipino people,” Yamsuan said.
Yamsuan said the cost of inconveniencing motorists and commuters—which could have led to a daily “carmageddon” on EDSA lasting for at least two years had the Rebuild proceeded as scheduled—far outweighs the expected benefits from the project.
He pointed to a study done by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which estimated economic losses resulting from traffic congestion in Metro Manila at about P3.5 billion daily and could reach P5.4 billion by 2035 without any significant infrastructure improvements.
“There is no argument that the decades-old EDSA needs to be rebuilt and rehabilitated. But as the President had correctly pointed out, this should be done using modern construction techniques to speed up the implementation of the project and significantly shorten the time that it would burden motorists and commuters,” said Yamsuan, a member of the House Committee on Transportation.
The P8.7 billion EDSA Rebuild project was initially scheduled to begin on June 13, starting with the Pasay City to Shaw Boulevard segment. It was expected to last until 2027.
