MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday said the long-awaited rehabilitation of the 23.8-kilometer Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) will not push through unless comprehensive rerouting plans are in place and local government units (LGUs) are fully prepared to handle the expected disruptions.
“Until I see solid rerouting plans and LGUs are fully ready, we shouldn’t proceed. Let’s fix the plan first,” Marcos said in his vlog.
The EDSA rehabilitation is one of the flagship projects under the administration’s infrastructure program. It has been plagued by concerns over traffic gridlock and local capacity to manage rerouting.
The project aims to overhaul one of Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares. Roadworks were originally set to begin on June 13, but Marcos postponed the project for a month to give concerned agencies time to explore new ways that could shorten the project duration and ease public inconvenience.
In his vlog, Marcos also touted improvements carried out by the administration in transportation, peace and order, and food security.
The President 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 said.
He said the changes are part of the changes through the leadership of Transportation Marcos also commended recent developments at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, noting it as part of the broader goal of modernizing the country’s major gateways.
