THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it will begin rehabilitating Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) on Dec. 24.
“This new plan is entirely different from the original plan. We have worked to find a better way for the (EDSA rehabilitation) project. It is important to begin this project; we can assure the public that this will only cause minimal disruption,” Public Works Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon said at a briefing on Wednesday.
The DPWH, together with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Department of Transportation (DoTr) presented the revised plan for the EDSA rebuild, featuring a project timetable of eight months from the original target of two years.
The revised plan is divided into two phases and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2026, Mr. Dizon said, adding that the project cost is now estimated at P6 billion from the earlier P17-billion quote.
The first phase of the project covers all reblocking works and asphalt overlay of subway lanes both for northbound and southbound. This will be a round-the-clock construction work beginning Dec. 24 and ending on Jan. 5, 2026.
The construction work for the second phase will only be during 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. starting Jan. 5, 2026 until May 31, 2025, Mr. Dizon said.
During the second phase of the project, DPWH will carry out asphalt overlay lane by lane for both northbound and southbound sections during the working week, with Friday to Sunday devoted to asphalt overlay and reblocking of one lane per direction.
Mr. Dizon said the DPWH will use stone mastic asphalt, which he said is more durable and involves less maintenance than traditional asphalt.
“We will be using new asphalt technology. (In the original) plan, we were supposed to use traditional asphalt. I think this new technology has not been used on our national roads yet,” Mr. Dizon said.
The original EDSA rehabilitation plan had been scheduled to begin in June 2025, for completion by 2027.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. had rejected the original timeline as too disruptive, citing the outsized impact of the repairs on commuters, motorists, and the broader economy.
This rehabilitation will be the highway’s first major rehabilitation since 1980. Around 437,000 vehicles use EDSA every day.
“I am confident DPWH can do this well within their timeline. They have more than enough experience in scheduling these kinds of repair activities which should include all possible unforeseen kinks that might happen,” Nigel Paul C. Villarete, senior adviser on public-private partnerships at the technical advisory group Libra Konsult, Inc. said via Viber.
“There are days (in December) when there is no work or classes, which the DPWH can maximize especially the preliminary preparation works,” Mr. Villarete said, noting that such work can be undertaken gradually to ensure commuters are not presented with drastic changes to driving conditions.
“It is the abrupt shift which affects commuters; most traffic congestion usually eases out as it tries to redistribute over time and space,” he said.
MMDA Chairman Romando S. Artes said the agency will retain the current number coding scheme, abandoning an earlier plan to implement a 24‑hour odd-even scheme for private vehicles along EDSA.
Under the previous EDSA rehabilitation plan, the Department of Transportation had requested tollway operators to waive their tolls for some segments.
Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez said there is no need to seek a waiver of tolls, noting that roads will remain passable because no disruptions are expected during the EDSA rebuild.
“The good thing is we are expecting to deploy Dalian trains (on the MRT-3 commuter rail line) by December,” he said.
A 2018 Japan International Cooperation Agency study estimated the economic cost of road congestion in Metro Manila at around P3.5 billion a day.
Metro Manila roads were ranked the 14th most congested in the world, with an average travel time of 32 minutes for an average 10-kilometer distance, according to the latest edition of the TomTom Traffic Index.
Globalinks Securities and Stocks, Inc. Head of Sales Trading Toby Allan C. Arce said the EDSA rehabilitation is likely to have short-term disruptive impact on businesses along the avenue, particularly malls, restaurants, and entertainment venues that depend heavily on foot traffic and ease of access.
“Even if construction activity is scaled down during the holidays, the signaling effect alone — lane closures, rerouting, and traffic advisories — could deter casual shoppers and diners, especially those coming from outside immediate catchment areas,” Mr. Arce said via Viber.
The rehabilitation of EDSA is ultimately expected to be positive for EDSA-facing businesses, he said.
“If execution is disciplined and timelines are credible, improved road quality, smoother traffic flow, and safer pedestrian conditions would enhance accessibility and dwell time once works are completed,” Mr. Arce said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Dizon said the DPWH is also fine-tuning the plan for the Guadalupe bridge rehabilitation, which he said “will not happen until we have a detour bridge. The detour bridge will start early 2026; once it is completed, we can rehabilitate the Guadalupe bridge,” Mr. Dizon said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose