Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said Friday, Feb. 7, that the EDSA Busway will not be removed to cater to private vehicles traversing the major thoroughfare, allaying fears of commuters.
Bautista even bared that the dedicated lane for buses, which carry thousands of commuters daily, will further be improved with the help of the private sector via the privatization of its operations and management (O&M).
“The EDSA Busway will not be removed. There were discussions regarding that but it will not push through,” he said in a radio interview over DWPM Radyo 630.
Last Tuesday, Feb. 4, Bautista and other Cabinet members met with President Marcos Jr. to discuss the Comprehensive Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) for Metro Manila and nearby provinces, where he noted that the Chief Executive stressed the country needs to have an efficient public transport system.
To further support statements against the removal of the EDSA Busway, Bautista said that the feasibility study for the project’s privatization will be completed “in a few months,” which may pave the way for its expansion.
He hopes that the O&M for the operations of the EDSA Busway will be awarded by the end of 2026.
“We want the EDSA Busway to conform to international standards for the comfort and convenience of our passengers,” Bautista said.
Bautista stressed that even point-to-point buses (P2P) and airport express buses are now being allowed to ply the EDSA Busway's route to help alleviate congestion along the country’s busiest thoroughfare, highlighting its efficiency.
Earlier, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando Artes said the government was considering the idea of removing the EDSA Busway to focus on the upgrade of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) to accommodate more passengers.
The transport chief denied reports that the EDSA Busway has an overlapping function with the MRT-3 system.
“[It’s] not necessarily a replication of the MRT-3,” Bautista said.
He explained that the EDSA Busway serves commuters from Caloocan City up to Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) in Parañaque City while the MRT-3 rail line serves riders only from North Avenue in Quezon City up to Taft Ave.