The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will begin the long-delayed rehabilitation of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) on Dec. 24, with major construction works scheduled during the holiday traffic break to complete the project within eight months instead of the originally proposed two years.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the compressed timeline, announced in a joint press briefing with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), aims to minimize disruption to daily commuters by scheduling major works during the Christmas break.

Dizon said the rehabilitation will be implemented in two phases.

The first four months will cover the Roxas Boulevard to EDSA-Orense section, while the remaining four months will focus on the rest of the highway.

Under the original proposal, the project was projected to cost P17 billion and involved full reblocking and asphalt overlay across the entire stretch of EDSA.

The revised plan cuts the cost to P6 billion, generating P11 billion in savings for the government, according to DPWH.

Instead of full reblocking, the agency will reblock only critical sections and use stone mastic asphalt (SMA), a more durable paving technology that allows faster construction while improving road quality.

“This updated construction method allows faster completion while ensuring better road quality,” Dizon said.

Phase 1 will begin at 11 p.m. on Dec. 24.

The 24-hour construction work will continue until 5 a.m. on January 5, 2026, covering reblocking activities and asphalt overlay of the EDSA busway lanes.

The work will cover both northbound and southbound directions to ensure full rehabilitation of key sections during the holiday period.

After the holiday break, road works will shift to nighttime schedules from Jan. 5 to May 31, 2026.

Asphalt overlay will be conducted lane by lane from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. on weekdays.

Reblocking works will be scheduled on weekends to minimize daytime disruptions and keep traffic moving during peak hours.

DPWH said all affected sections of EDSA will be reopened to traffic by 5 a.m. the following day, in coordination with the MMDA.

Compared with the earlier two-year plan that would have caused prolonged lane-by-lane disruptions, the accelerated schedule is expected to significantly ease daytime congestion along the country’s busiest highway.

DPWH and MMDA said traffic management measures and advance advisories will be issued ahead of the project’s rollout to guide motorists throughout the eight-month rehabilitation period.