KEEP OR CLOSE? Amid a proposal from the MMDA to close the Edsa busway after the capacity of the Metro Rail Transit 3 is expanded significantly, DOTr issues a statement saying the dedicated bus lane remains one of the most efficient public road transport systems in the National Capital Region. 鈥擨nquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Top officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) appear to disagree on what to do with the Edsa busway.
In a Malaca帽ang press briefing on Wednesday, MMDA Chair Romando Artes said the government was considering a program to remove the busway once the capacity of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3), which also runs on Edsa, is expanded.
According to him, this was among the proposals tackled in a meeting with President Marcos the day before on traffic decongestion measures for Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
READ: Edsa busway privatization set in 2025 鈥� DoTR
鈥淢y suggestion yesterday was if the MRT can accommodate the bus carousel passengers because it鈥檚 repetitive; it鈥檚 the same line,鈥� Artes said.
鈥淚f we can do this, we can free up one lane. There鈥檚 also a suggestion not to remove the lane but to allow high-occupancy vehicles to use [it],鈥� he added.
鈥淚n fact, the train is an advantage because it has more stops than the bus carousel. The Department of Transportation also has plans to have a seamless transfer from different train systems, like connecting the MRT to the Light Rail Transit 1, for example,鈥� Artes said.
鈥淚magine one additional lane that can be used by vehicles. Not because we鈥檙e car-centric, but it will definitely help decongest the road. It will just be repetitive if the MRT can accommodate the passengers; we don鈥檛 see the need for buses,鈥� he stressed.
But he clarified that before this could happen, the passenger capacity of the MRT-3 would need to be significantly increased, while the train lines in Metro Manila should be interconnected to make passenger transfer convenient.
鈥淭his is a suggestion as of now, and the primary factor is if the MRT can accommodate the passengers of the bus carousel. So until that happens, the bus carousel won鈥檛 be removed. Our countrymen have nothing to worry about [for now] because this won鈥檛 be set in motion until our policymakers see that the MRT can also accommodate the bus carousel passengers,鈥� Artes said.
鈥楳ost efficient鈥�
In a statement posted on its official Facebook page hours after the MMDA briefing, the DOTr said it believed the Edsa busway 鈥渃ontinues to be one of the most efficient public road transport systems in Metro Manila.鈥�
鈥淭he Edsa busway is seen as a crucial step toward a progressive public transportation system with 23 stations operating 24/7, affording commuters a safe and reliable option for transport,鈥� it added.
It said that Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista was waiting for the results of a feasibility study on how best to improve the busway, which tapped private sector technical and financial expertise.
鈥淭he goal is to improve commuter experience without worsening existing traffic conditions,鈥� it said.
According to the DOTr, over 63 million commuters traveled along the Edsa busway in 2024.
Last month alone, the busway served more than 5.5 million passengers, averaging 177,000 daily commuters 鈥渨ho reached their destinations conveniently, safely and quickly,鈥� it said.
According to the MMDA, the Edsa busway will be included in the planned rehabilitation of Edsa set to begin in March. The total overhaul of one of Metro Manila鈥檚 busiest thoroughfares is scheduled to be completed ahead of the country鈥檚 hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in 2026.
Artes said the Edsa busway would also be used as a special lane for Asean delegates.