SENATE President Francis “Chiz” Escudero yesterday said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did the right thing when he suspended the rehabilitation of EDSA for at least a month since the Department of Public Works and Highways apparently lacks the proper planning.
“Tama lang para sa akin dahil kulang pa ang pagpa-plano tila dito ng DPWH. Masyadong matagal ang dalawang taon para gawin ‘yan. Kawawa naman ang ating mananakay, kawawa naman ang gumagamit ng EDSA na pinaka main route natin
(For me, it’s just right (to suspend it) because the DPWH apparently does not have proper plans. Two years is too long for the rehabilitation. Commuters, people who regularly use EDSA, will be badly affected,” Escudero said in a press conference at the Senate.
He said plans to rehabilitate EDSA have been discussed for quite some time, but the DPWH and other concerned agencies have not offered alternate routes that will cross the Pasig River and will make traveling on EDSA bearable amid the expected traffic congestion.
“Kulang ang pagpa-plano at paghahanda ng DPWH kaugnay rito sa mahabang panahon na pinostpone ang implementation ng proyektong ito (The DPWH apparently lacks planning and is not ready since the implementation of this project has been postponed for quite some time),” he said.
“So, nagkaroon sila ng ganong kahabang panahon na sana mag-plano pero tila hanggang ngayon ay wala pa ring sapat at katanggap-tanggap na plano
(They had enough time to plan for this and yet they still have no proper and acceptable plan),” he added.
He said the one-month suspension should give proper authorities the chance to evaluate if it is feasible for EDSA to be repaired.
He said the suggestion of Sen. Joseph Ejercito to start with the rehabilitation only after the North-South Commuter Line and the Metro Manila Subway System are fully operational is also good, but left it to the wisdom of the DPWH to decide.
