Initial EDSA rehabilitation work planned for Jan.

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it hopes to begin initial work to rehabilitate Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) by January.

“By January, we will start the repair of EDSA. It will not be the full-blown rehabilitation, but we will begin initial repairs. Hopefully by that time we already have a faster method (for repairs) so we can quickly carry out the project,” Public Works Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon told reporters on Tuesday. 

The planned rehabilitation of EDSA, Metro Manila’s main circumferential road, had been pushed back to late 2026 or early 2027 after President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ruled out the original timeline as too disruptive, citing the outsized impact of the repairs on commuters, motorists, and the broader economy.

The rehabilitation of EDSA was initially set to begin in June and scheduled to run for two years. 

For now, the DPWH is still working on reducing the project’s estimated cost, Mr. Dizon said, noting that the department is also looking for a possible partner to complete the project.

“Last time, the budget for the project was around P15 billion but I think that is too high. If we can finish the project fast, we can lower the project cost,” he said.

“We do not have a technology partner yet, but there are some proposals,” Mr. Dizon said, noting that the agency will focus on widening sidewalks and pedestrian lanes and creating a more accessible EDSA, especially for persons with disabilities.

On Tuesday, the DPWH and the Department of Transportation (DoTr) announced a joint project to make roads commuter and pedestrian-friendly via wider sidewalks and the removal of obstructions along EDSA.

Earlier this year, Mr. Dizon’s predecessor, Manuel M. Bonoan, said that the best-case estimate for the EDSA rehab is six months.

The DoTr has said that it is working with other agencies to assess options for expediting the rehabilitation, including innovative construction methods that promise shorter completion times compared to conventional methods. — Ashley Erika O. Jose