Still EDSA-ster?: EDSA Rehab for Faster, Safer Commutes
A 6:50 a.m. departure from her home in Pasay City once guaranteed an on-time arrival for faculty member Aydin Dado, but recent traffic now puts her at risk of being late if she leaves later than 6:45 a.m. Commuting through Angkas has long been part of her routine, but in recent weeks, leaving earlier has not guaranteed a faster ride. To cope, she has begun alternating among different routes through Buendia-Makati, Lawton-McKinley, and EDSA, depending on traffic conditions.
The experience is no different for students. Zion’s Sofia Caylen Cordova, who travels by car from Parañaque to Taguig shared, “Going to school already takes [a long time] in the mornings, so with the roadworks, I need to leave [at least 30 minutes earlier than usual to] plan for potential delays.” Parents, meanwhile, have also adjusted their schedules to ensure that their children arrive at school on time despite worsened road conditions.
These daily disruptions come amid the ongoing rehabilitation of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare. The project officially began on December 24, 2025, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issuing a directive to minimize traffic while addressing EDSA’s deteriorating pavement conditions. As part of this directive, most construction activities will be conducted overnight from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. to minimize disruption during school and work hours.
The rehabilitation, led by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in coordination with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), is set to be completed in eight months, a significantly shorter time frame than the initial plan.
The current timeline follows the suspension of an initial proposal in early 2025, which was expected to begin last June and last two to three years. However, the president ordered officials to develop a faster, more efficient alternative, which was later approved and launched in late 2025.
According to DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, the shortened timeline is made possible through the use of stone mastic asphalt, a Japanese-developed technology that allows faster construction and more durable road surfaces. This change also reduced the project cost to P6 billion, down from the original P17 billion estimate.
The first phase of the rehabilitation, completed last January 5, covered the stretch from Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City to Orense Street in Makati City, including road reblocking, asphalt overlay, and drainage improvements. The second phase, which will also be carried out overnight from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., will focus on more extensive work and lane-by-lane asphalt overlay in the remaining sections of EDSA, continuing until May 31, 2026.
To maintain commuter mobility, DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez assured that the EDSA Busway will remain operational and exclusive to public transport. Meanwhile, MMDA Chairman Don Artes said that additional traffic enforcers and alternative routes will be deployed to help manage traffic flow.
As rehabilitation progresses, authorities have advised commuters to monitor traffic advisories and consider alternative routes, as the project moves towards its goal to improve road safety and traffic conditions.
References
Paunan. (2025, December 19). DPWH to begin EDSA rehab December 24 using Japanese tech. Philippine Information Agency. https://pia.gov.ph/news/dpwh-to-begin-edsa-rehab-december-24-using-japanese-tech/
Salcedo. (2025, December 25). DPWH releases EDSA rehab schedule for Dec. 28 to Jan. 5. Philippine Daily Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2159136/dpwh-releases-edsa-rehab-schedule-for-dec-28-to-jan-5
Patinio. (2026, January 6). EDSA rehab continues Tuesday night – DPWH. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1266329
