Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has laid out a vision to restore EDSA as a walkable thoroughfare, highlighting government efforts to make the daily commute safer and more dignified for pedestrians.

Speaking on DAILY TRIBUNE’s Straight Talk online show, Dizon emphasized that while EDSA is known as Metro Manila’s busiest road for vehicles, many people also walk long distances along the corridor — often in unsafe conditions.

“There are a lot of people who actually walk along EDSA,” Dizon said. “It’s a daily calvary for them.”

“I personally experienced that. I walked from Ayala to past Shaw Boulevard near Megamall. It took about an hour, and I realized just how dangerous it is. Sometimes there are parts where the sidewalk is paved, wide, but there are many parts where the sidewalk is very narrow, and there are parts without any sidewalk at all,” he said in English and Filipino.

Dizon cited the original design of EDSA by architect Luciano Toledo, which included generous space for pedestrians. “You’d be surprised, a huge portion of EDSA is actually for pedestrians,” he said. “It’s like the boulevards in Europe and the US.”

The Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways, is now working to improve the sidewalks, ensure their continuity, and resolve long-standing infrastructure issues. One of those issues is flooding, which Dizon linked to an outdated drainage system.

“Secretary [Manuel] Bonoan said the drainage hasn’t been upgraded in decades,” noted Dizon. “That’s why flooding happens so fast.”

He also confirmed that all elevators and escalators at the MRT-3 stations and at the EDSA Busway stops are now operational, except for one escalator that is not maintained by the DoTr.

These facilities are vital, Dizon said, especially for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.