Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on Wednesday laid out a vision to restore EDSA as a walkable thoroughfare, highlighting government efforts to make daily commutes safer and more dignified for pedestrians.
Speaking on DAILY TRIBUNE's Straight Talk, Dizon emphasized that while EDSA is known as Metro Manila’s busiest road for vehicles, many Filipinos also walk long distances along the corridor — often in unsafe conditions.
“There are a lot of people who actually walk along EDSA,” Dizon said.
“I personally experienced that... I walked from Ayala to pass Shaw Boulevard near Megamall. It took about an hour, and I realized just how dangerous it is. Sometimes there are parts where there are paved, wide side walks, but there are many parts where there are very narrow sidewalks, and there are parts without any sidewalks at all," he said in a mix of 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 sidewalks, ensure their continuity, and resolve longstanding infrastructure issues. One of those issues is flooding, which Dizon linked to outdated drainage systems.
“Secretary [Manuel] Bonoan said the drainage hasn’t been upgraded in decades,” Dizon said in Filipino. “That’s why flooding happens so fast.”
He also confirmed that all elevators and escalators along the MRT-3 and in the EDSA Busway are now operational, except for one escalator not maintained by the transportation department. These facilities are vital, he said, especially for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
“It’s a daily kalbaryo for people,” Dizon said.