It seems like government agencies are heading in different directions when it comes to deciding the future of the EDSA bus carousel.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Don Artes recently announced that there are plans to scrap the bus system, following a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding the comprehensive traffic plan for Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Artes and Remulla said that this plan will push through once the MRT-3 can handle all the passengers currently relying on the buses. It’s part of their grand scheme to tame EDSA’s notorious traffic.
Artes claimed that the bus carousel overlaps with the MRT-3’s route — a claim that doesn’t quite match reality.
The MRT-3 runs from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, covering 13 stations and operating on fixed hours.
Meanwhile, the EDSA Bus Carousel runs a longer route from Monumento in Caloocan City to PITX in Parañaque City, covering 23 stops and serving commuters 24/7, during late-night and early-morning hours when trains are out of service.
But wait, there’s more! Remulla wants to charge four-wheeled vehicles using Metro Manila’s busiest road a congestion fee, arguing that this will nudge people to take public transport.
Different signal from DOTr
Just hours after Abalos and Artes made their announcements, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) took to Facebook on Wednesday, February 5, to flex their flagship project’s achievements.
According to DOTr, the EDSA bus carousel transported over 63 million commuters in 2024. And in January 2025 alone? A whopping 5.5 million passengers hopped on board, averaging 177,000 daily.
“The Department of Transportation (DOTr) believes the EDSA busway continues to be one of the most efficient public road transport system in Metro Manila,” the agency said. “The goal is to improve commuter experience without worsening traffic conditions.”
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista also said that the suggestion to open bike lanes for mixed use with motorcycles needs further study. In 2023, the MMDA proposed converting bike lanes into shared lanes with motorcycles, arguing that they were “underutilized.” The proposal sparked backlash from active transport groups.
In a separate post on Thursday, February 6, the DOTr highlighted how the bus system helps alleviate traffic on EDSA, with each bus carrying up to 54 passengers. The buses also offer faster travel times —taking just 1 to 1.5 hours from Monumento to PITX, compared to the usual 3 hours. The dedicated lane makes the service much safer for passengers, DOTr said.
Based on the transportation agency’s recent posts, it appears that scrapping the EDSA busway is not on the table even in the near future. In fact, just last year, the DOTr announced that bidding for the EDSA bus carousel would begin this 2025, Business World reported.
So, is everyone steering in the same direction, or are these agencies on totally opposite routes? Because right now, it feels like someone didn’t get the memo — or got kicked out of the group chat. – Rappler.com
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