EDSA rehabilitation to start on December 24

MANILA, Philippines – The long-delayed rehabilitation of EDSA will begin on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24, after works were stalled earlier this year.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the project will be completed in eight months, significantly shorter than the earlier two-year timeline.

Reblocking works and asphalt overlay on the busway lanes will be carried out round the clock during the holiday break, from 11 pm on December 24, until 4 am on January 5, 2026.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Don Artes said traffic is expected to be lighter during this period as fewer motorists use EDSA.

After January 5, road works will be scheduled nightly, from 10 pm to 4 am.

Dizon said the rehabilitation will cost P6 billion, far lower than the earlier estimated P17 billion. The Department of Public Works and Highways will use a new asphalt technology called stone mastic asphalt.

The agency said this type of asphalt offers stronger resistance to the elements and heavier loads, improved skid resistance, better protection against water and moisture damage, and a longer maintenance life.

Artes said there will be no changes to the existing number coding scheme. The MMDA had initially proposed an odd-even number coding scheme to address the expected congestion caused by the rehabilitation.

The EDSA rehabilitation was originally set to start on June 13, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered its postponement days before the launch, saying a better plan was needed to shorten the repair timeline to six months to a year. – Rappler.com