Marcos Jr. suspends EDSA rehab for a month to explore new tech

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has suspended the planned rehabilitation of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) for one month to explore new ways that could shorten the project duration and ease public inconvenience.

The suspension, which began on Sunday, is due to concerns about heavy traffic congestion during reconstruction and the need to consider new technologies not initially included in the original plan.

Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon stated at a briefing that conventional building methods will be scrapped and new approaches, including advanced technology, will be pursued to minimize public inconvenience and economic impact.

President Marcos Jr. aims to reduce the construction timeline to between six months and a year from the initial projection of two years, citing concerns over public welfare and economic benefits.

The Quezon City government and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Don Artes have expressed full support for the decision, emphasizing the need to prioritize the welfare of commuters and motorists who rely on EDSA daily.