The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is keen on replicating the success of the EDSA Busway by building another bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Metro Manila, with Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City as the top candidate.

Transportation Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor said the DOTr is conducting a feasibility study to determine the best spot for an exclusive bus lane that would benefit commuters, especially students, on a daily basis.

The DOTr is considering multiple locations in Quezon City for the busway.

“The more viable alignment that we see right now, without right-of-way issues, is Katipunan,” Pastor told reporters.

Katipunan Avenue, which forms part of the C5 Road, stretches from Tandang Sora Avenue near University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman in the north down to White Plains Avenue at its southernmost point.

The thoroughfare is home to some of the country’s most prominent educational institutions, making students the top commuters along the avenue.

Last year, former DOTr secretary Vince Dizon cited the need to cater to students in reviving plans to build a busway between España Boulevard in Manila and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City. This project will likely be on hold given the viability of Katipunan Avenue.

The development of a second busway in the capital region is not expected this year given limited funding for BRTs under the DOTr’s budget. Notably, the EDSA Busway only received ₱88.71 million for the year, around nine percent of its initial request of ₱936.09 million.

“So we have to look for other options. We want to explore private partnerships probably,” said Pastor.

Once the project's funding is secured, Pastor said the DOTr is prepared to go full steam ahead with building the busway to further ease commuting in Metro Manila.

Last year, the EDSA Busway accommodated 66.67 million passengers, nearly six percent higher than the 63.02 million recorded in 2024. This is equivalent to roughly 180,000 passengers benefitting from the busway daily.

The DOTr expects to serve more commuters this year with the completion of the first phase of busway modernization, covering the stations in Bagong Barrio, Monumento, Guadalupe, and North Avenue, as well as the opening of the new Kamuning station.

In the first quarter, the agency will begin construction of three new stations in Cubao, Magallanes, and Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), with a completion date set for the first quarter of next year.