President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. yesterday assured that the government will not push through with the rehabilitation of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) until comprehensive rerouting plans are in place and local government units (LGUs) are fully prepared to handle the inevitable disruptions to traffic flow.
“Until I see solid rerouting plans and LGUs are fully ready, we shouldn’t proceed. Let’s fix the plan first,” the President said in his vlog posted yesterday.
The EDSA Rebuild project is touted as a flagship project under the administration’s infrastructure program.
However, rehabilitating the 23.8-kilometer main road has been plagued by concerns over traffic gridlock and local capacity to manage rerouting, causing Malacañang to suspend the project’s implementation, which would have begun on June 13.
Mr. Marcos postponed the project to allow concerned agencies to conduct a month-long review on how it can be carried out with the least inconvenience to the public.
Project leaders were also directed to explore new ways to reduce the project’s duration from three years to no more than one year.
Recently, business organizations appealed to the President to consider a piecemeal implementation of EDSA Rebuild, rather than carrying it out throughout the entire stretch of the highway.
Meanwhile, Mr. Marcos pointed out his administration’s other efforts aimed at easing the plight of travelers.
In particular, the chief executive highlighted recent improvements in the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), including the recently launched 1+3 Family Fare promo and the speed up in operations.
“You may notice the lines at MRT stations are faster. Sometimes there are no lines at all,” he noted.
He said the changes are part of the ongoing efforts under Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon’s leadership, assuring the public that further enhancements are on the way.
“It will get even better in the coming months,” he added.
Also in his vlog, the President cited the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), spearheaded by the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) under a public-private partnership.
“As the gateway to the Philippines, our airports are the first and last experience in our country, so it is not enough that our tourist spots are beautiful. Our airports also need to be just as beautiful. Not only the airport in Manila, but our regional airports as well,” he said in Filipino.
