THE labor sector yesterday hailed the suspension of the planned rehabilitation of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), saying the government is not well prepared for such an undertaking and its potential consequences.
In separate statements, the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), the Federation of Free Workers (FFW), and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) all welcomed the decision of President Bongbong Marcos Jr.
“Postponing the EDSA rehab was the right call. You don’t tear up a major artery without a clear vision or a plan to protect workers and commuters from the fallout,” said SENTRO.
“The EDSA rehab plan was clearly not prepared well enough. Without proper consultation and safeguards, it risks massive disruption to workers and commuters,” said FFW.
“We appreciate the President’s timely decision to postpone EDSA rebuild not only as a pause but a golden opportunity for deeper and more inclusive rethinking on innovations and alternatives,” said TUCP.
The workers called on the Marcos administration to include them in the planning of such a major infrastructure project.
“It’s time for a summit on the EDSA crisis. Perhaps now, the Department of Labor and Employment will finally step up,” said SENTRO.
“Progress should not come at the expense of the working public or result in hardship for our people. That’s why we are calling for an urgent dialogue with the President,” said FFW.
“There must be wider stakeholder consultations, especially with labor, since EDSA is not just any highway. It is our nation’s economic artery where both workers and employers travel every single day to earn a living,” said TUCP.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said he supports the decision of the President to suspend the rehabilitation of EDSA, adding that works should be deferred until the North-South Commuter Line and the Metro Manila Subway System are fully operational.
In a statement, Ejercito said he was “glad” that the President decided to suspend for at least a month the EDSA rehabilitation since an “honest to goodness benefit assessment is needed for this project.
“This is why I strongly propose that the total EDSA rehabilitation be deferred until both the North-South Commuter Line and the Metro Manila Subway System are fully operational. I believe these will serve as efficient alternatives to private vehicles, making such a large-scale rehabilitation less disruptive to the public,” he said.
He said the EDSA rehabilitation “risks pushing our traffic situation to the brink” as traffic congestion is expected to get worse.
“Ang kailangan natin ngayon ay ilatag ang mga riles, hindi muna ang pag-aayos ng mga kalsada (What we need right now is to build those railways, not the rehabilitation of roads.) My position ever since is to fast track all railway projects. Railway is the only way!” he said.
Sen. Joel Villanueva thanked Marcos for listening to the concerns of the people regarding the rehabilitation of EDSA, especially the monstrous traffic jams expected.
“If we are truly serious about progress, we need to ensure that there is an extensive consultation with all sectors that will be affected by the rehabilitation project. This would also allow all concerned government agencies to come up with more viable and inclusive solutions to cushion the impact on traffic,” Villanueva said.
Sen. Grace Poe also lauded the President, saying: “Without adequate preparation, the closure of a portion of the main thoroughfare would result in mayhem, exacerbating the suffering of our commuters and motorists. We trust that the following weeks will be spent laying down a comprehensive and efficient plan for traffic management when the rehabilitation is rolled out.”
She suggested that concerned agencies carry out repairs in phases and under a 24/7 scheme to speed up repair works.
“More consultations with concerned stakeholders and affected groups should also be conducted to gather more ideas on easing traffic while rehab is ongoing,” she added. – With Raymond Africa
