The Department of Transportation (DoTr) is considering tapping funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to complete the feasibility study for the planned busway from España Boulevard to Quezon Avenue in Manila, aimed at easing congestion and improving public transport in the capital’s university belt.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the study, which is not included in next year’s national budget, could be financed through ADB support.

“It is not yet included in the budget next year, (but) we can draw from ADB,” Dizon told reporters in an interview, adding that the target is to complete the study by next year.

The project envisions a 15-kilometer corridor covering key areas such as the University of Santo Tomas, which is currently served mainly by jeepneys and lacks an organized bus system.

The study will assess the technical and economic viability of building the dedicated busway, which is intended to provide commuters with a more reliable and efficient mode of transport.

Once the project is developed by the government, Dizon said its operations and maintenance could later be offered to the private sector, similar to other busway systems built during the pandemic.

The transportation chief earlier said the proposed España busway forms part of the government’s push to modernize public transport, alongside major provincial initiatives such as the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit and the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, which he described as potential “game-changers” for commuters.