EDSA Busway to stay even after COVID-19 pandemic —DOTr exec

The EDSA Busway will be a permanent fixture in the busy highway even after the COVID-19 pandemic, Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Steven Pastor said on Friday.

During the Senate panel deliberation on the proposed P143-billion budget of the DOTr for 2021, Pastor said P154 million has been used by the agency to procure the barriers and another P32 million was spent for the bus stops.

Senator Nancy Binay asked if this bus rapid transit system, launched last July 1, will remain even after the pandemic is over.

"Yes, because effective po siya sa aming pananaw. 'Yung byahe po mula sa Monumento papuntang PITX na three hours po dati ay nakukuha na ng one hour and five minutes," Pastor said.

Cautioning not to be too optimistic, Binay said the DOTr should also consider the fact that the economy is not yet 100% open and heavy traffic is still being experienced along EDSA.

But Pastor said the DOTr believes designating a special lane for buses would encourage the public to commute instead of bringing private vehicles, which in turn would decongest EDSA.

"'Yung gusto namin i-emphasize dito, because of the dedicated lanes, binibigyan po natin ng halaga at importansya ang ating commuting public kung saan hindi po maghahalo ang private vehicles dito sa ating EDSA Busway at mapapanatili po natin 'yung tuloy-tuloy na pagtakbo ng mga bus," he added.

Binay requested the DOTr to submit a copy of the study it made regarding the busway to review its efficiency and safety.

According to the DOTr, there were 550 bus units authorized to service the EDSA Busway which covers bus stops from Monumento to the PITX.—AOL, GMA News