DOTr chief pushes for Edsa busway funding in 2027

MANILA, Philippines — Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez on Friday called for the restoration of the proposed P1.756 billion funding of the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) bus carousel system at the Senate finance committee hearing.

This comes as the Edsa busway system receives zero funding in the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) proposed 2027 budget.

Lopez expressed that around 63 million passengers are benefitting from the busway, further noting that commuters would ultimately suffer if it is defunded.

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“If the busway carousel lacks funding, the ones who will truly suffer — we can say — are the commuters who use it. We are talking about roughly 63 million passengers annually, these are the people who rely on the busway,” Lopez said during the Senate committee on finance hearing on the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) 2027 proposed budget.

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READ: Solons push for budget restoration for Edsa busway system

In a statement, the DOTr said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the agency to modernize the Edsa busway system to ensure the smooth and safe travels of commuters.

It then added that the agency is rehabilitating its stations in Bagong Barrio, Balintawak and Guadalupe. Meanwhile, new stations in Cubao, Magallanes and Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange are also being planned. 

“If we cannot fund this (busway), what will happen to the busway stations we are currently building? What about the elevators and the small amenities for the elderly and PWD (persons with disabilities)? How will cleanliness and security be maintained at our busway stations? That needs to be funded,” he expressed.

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Senate finance committee chair Sen. JV Ejercito then assured that the upper chamber will look for ways to fund the Edsa busway system.

“I do agree that the busway really needs improvement because it is a huge help to commuters and ordinary citizens—and you are right, this is the one area where they have an advantage over private cars. And of course, we can see that a lot of people are using the busway system right now,” Ejercito said. /das