Metro Manila commuters expecting a privatized EDSA Busway will have to wait longer, as the Department of Transportation (DoTr) focuses on upgrading stations before turning over operations to the private sector.

In his first media briefing as DoTr chief, Secretary Vivencio Dizon on Tuesday said the agency must first bid out contracts to modernize existing stations, thus pushing back privatization plans.

“We’re going to start the process of bidding out for the improvement of the stations this year. There’s a budget allocated for that, and we will use the model stations of SM North Edsa and SM Megamall and replicate those in all 21 remaining stations,” Dizon said.

Bidding is set to begin by May, with contract awards targeted for June. Construction is expected to start in the latter half of the year, with station upgrades slated for completion by February or March 2026 — delaying the handover to private operators.

The DoTr is also planning longer-term improvements, including the construction of dedicated concourses near MRT stations like Santolan. These projects will take more time, with completion eyed within President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term, possibly between 2026 and 2027.

“My suggestion is we need to PPP (public-private partnership) the O&M of what we are going to build in the next six months, one year, and then two years,” Dizon said.

The delay marks a shift from the previous timeline. Just last month, then-Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said privatization would begin this year, with a consultant finalizing the terms of reference.

Bautista had projected that bidding for privatization would take place in 2025, with the winning bidder providing buses, managing daily operations, and implementing an electronic scheduling system.

“We need a system similar to other countries, where passengers will know exactly what time their bus is arriving. Even commuters should be able to use an app to check schedules,” Bautista said at the time.

Despite the delay, Dizon remains confident that the overhaul will deliver a world-class transport system.

“We are confident that within the president’s term, by 2026 or 2027, we will establish a proper, very modern busway carousel system,” he said.