Quezon City: The Quezon City government has expressed full support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s decision to defer the rehabilitation of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), one of Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfares. ‘Sa mga panahong puno ng hamon, mahalagang unahin ang kapakanan at kaginhawaan ng taumbayan (In these challenging times, it is important to prioritize the welfare and comfort of the people),’ the statement issued by the city government on Monday read.
According to Philippines News Agency, on Sunday, the President ordered a one-month suspension in the planned full rehabilitation of EDSA, originally set to begin on June 13. Marcos emphasized the need to explore new methods that could shorten the project duration and alleviate public inconvenience. He also stressed the need to reassess the cost-benefit of the two-year rehabilitation project, citing the heavy traffic burden it would impose on hundreds of thousands of commuters and motorists using the major thoroughfare.
The Quezon City government underscored the importance of having a clear and efficient plan for the EDSA rehabilitation, stating its significance, not only in terms of its long-term benefits but also the inconvenience it may cause during its implementation. It expressed hope that modern technologies and innovative strategies could help significantly shorten the project timeline, from the initially projected two years to possibly just six months.
It said that with proper planning and the application of effective construction methods, the local government believes the impact on daily life and the economy could be considerably reduced. Of the EDSA’s 23-km. stretch, about 11 km. pass through Quezon City.
‘Nananatiling handa ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Lungsod Quezon na makipag-ugnayan at umalalay sa pambansang pamahalaan, anuman ang maging pinal na desisyon at susunod na hakbang (The local government of Quezon City remains ready to coordinate and support the national government, regardless of the final decision and next steps),’ it said.
