The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), proponent of the EDSA Busway System, has urged government to include a budget for the completion of the transportation infrastructure in the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to finish the badly needed infrastructure and long delayed project.
“The Congress now has the opportunity to provide the budget for the vital Busway-dedicated stations so it can be completed in 2026,” MAP said adding that the EDSA Busway System is the only mass transport system that can be completed within one year.
The statement was signed by Eduardo H. Yap, MAP Transportation and Infrastructure committee chairman, and MAP President Alfredo S. Panlilio.
The pioneering Busway System will benefit close to 100,000 bus commuters for their daily commute, which they do so with great inconvenience.
The Busway stations are in Kamuning, Cubao/Araneta, Santolan, Camp Aguinaldo, Corinthian Gardens, Highway Hills, Estrella St. (Rockwell), Ayala/EDSA, Magallanes, Malibay, F.B. Harrison, MOA/J. Diokno, Aseana/Macapagal and PITX.
For 5 years now, the MRT3 stations have been used by Busway commuters as access to Busway stations. While this interim arrangement has been acceptable during the initial test period, severe congestion has been a daily grind for both MRT3 and Busway commuters in the already over-crowded MRT3 stations.
Of the over 20 Busway-dedicated stations needed, only 4 have been completed by the government so far. They are the Guadalupe, Buendia, Taft Avenue and Roxas Blvd stations. Two other stations – North EDSA and Ortigas – are being provided through private sector donation and are currently under construction.
As a proper transport system in Metro Manila (MM), the Busway requires its own dedicated stations. In addition to other ancillary facilities, this system must be equipped with overhead bridgeway to the station platforms along the road median beside the MRT3 trackway, and provided with convenient access for the physically-challenged commuters.
To date, MAP said, there has been no meaningful budget allocation for this infrastructure, except for a few hundred million pesos while the Busway project has been waiting for the long-delayed privatization to happen.
“The government’s commitment to ease the plight of bus commuters must be met. Since the government is not inclined to appropriate funds for flood control projects, funds there can be more ideally reallocated to the Busway System,” MAP added.
MAP also urged to finalize a Schematic Busway System Plan that can service Metro Manila to complement the EDSA Busway, that will link, at least, Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City and other major routes, like Quezon Avenue, C5, Sucat, Alabang Zapote and many others.
“We should have a roadmap for programming a comprehensive MM Busway System that will complement the other rail systems now existing and under construction or being planned,” the statement concluded.
