The government has started its market-sounding activity for the EDSA Busway Project, the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center said Tuesday, March 12.
The PPP Center and the Department of Transportation commenced the preliminary activity to engage potential stakeholders for the project.
The busway is expected to cover the EDSA corridor and other major and feeder roads within the national capital region (NCR) as it aims to enhance the existing EDSA Carousel.
The market-sounding activity was attended by over 60 private sector participants and five government agencies.
Last year, the PPP Center and DOTr signed a technical assistance agreement to provide project preparation and transaction advisory services, funded through the Project Development and Monitoring Facility managed by the PPP Center.
The feasibility study, or the assessment of financial and economic aspects, of the project is targeted to be finished by midyear, the PPP Center stated.
The two agencies also earlier signed contracts for consultant services with the Public-Private Partnership Center, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, and SyCip Gorres Velayo & Company for the project’s operations and maintenance (O&M) and feasibility study.
Part of the project’s proposal is to have access to the establishments of SM Prime Holdings, including SM North Edsa in Quezon City, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, and the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
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“The modern and sustainable walkways will facilitate movement between users and will connect them to commercial, business, leisure, and employment services within Metro Manila,” DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said.
“A major component of the EDSA Busway, the walkways are intended for the commuters using the EDSA Busway stations, and for pedestrians crossing EDSA from one side to the other,” he added.
The funding for the design and construction of the pathways will be shouldered completely by SM Prime Holdings, Bautista said, “as such, we are not at liberty to share the exact figures pertaining to the project cost.”
For the O&M of the busway, the DOTr said it plans to privatize it through a solicited bidding process.