It’s been almost five years since the national government, taking advantage of the lockdowns and the restrictions brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, engineered a massive “restructuring” of Metro Manila’s entire land transportation network.
One of the biggest changes, apart from “rationalizing” bus and jeepney routes, is the creation of a fenced-off “busway” along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the metropolis’ most (in)famous thoroughfare.
Fast forward to 2025, and even when the economy and normal life had bounced back after the pandemic, the EDSA Busway and the rationalized routes have become a sort of permanent part of life among commuters and bus operators alike.
Yet there are some who believe it would be more convenient if the old bus routes passing through EDSA would be restored (even if they, too, have to pass through the Busway).
There are, admittedly, compelling reasons for that.
For instance, one designated “alternate” route for Metro Manila buses, Taft Avenue, has its own drawbacks – flooding during the rainy season and increasing congestion on its own. (And I’ve heard from sources that some traditional jeepneys, modern PUVs and UV Express operators are crying foul after seeing a drop in their earnings due to the new route rationalization.)
Another designated “alternate route,” C5, has proven to be money-losers for some bus companies, notwithstanding that commuters are increasingly becoming more and more appreciative of the fact that buses now pass through there unlike in the “old normal.”
However, let us admit that the EDSA Busway is not designed for the conventional buses currently plying most of Metro Manila’s routes.
It is primarily designed for low-floor buses – and may we point out that most of the low-floor buses that were deployed to the Busway needed major adjustments, such as having additional doors on the left side.
The Busway currently has only one lane, and “car-centric” freaks are sure to yell bloody murder if authorities decide to add another lane to the Busway – an unlikely prospect. (And may we point out the fact that despite continuous vigilance, private vehicles still manage to sneak into the Busway, causing even more delays for buses?)
There’s also no doubt that commuters who once had to endure traffic jams along EDSA during rush hours now find their commute much, much faster due to the Busway.
Sure, I may not go all the way from San Pedro to Cubao, but the fact is that I am now afforded a faster way to commute there, partly because of accessible transfers like at One Ayala.
(Speaking of which, I do hope authorities reconsider proposals to move the EDSA-Ayala stop for the Busway to the tunnel. The current setup at curbside and One Ayala is much, much more convenient for commuters, while the tunnel meant that passengers would have to endure vehicle fumes, not to mention having to go all the way up to the MRT Ayala station concourse and then down again to One Ayala.)
Like all major transport decisions, the decision to allow city buses back at EDSA should merit great consideration. Authorities who regulate our mass transport sector should balance the current (urgent) need for a safe, convenient mass transport with the realities of working and living in the Philippines’ largest metropolitan area.
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