Marcos Jr. wants Kamuning footbridge replaced

MANILA, Philippines — Following President Marcos’ directive, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the EDSA-Kamuning footbridge in Quezon City will be replaced with a more accessible structure.

Due to its steep, towering design, commuters commonly refer to the footbridge as “Mt. Kamuning.”

The footbridge has become a target of jokes and memes due to the considerable effort required to climb and cross the overpass.

It has also drawn public criticism for being inaccessible, especially for the elderly, persons with disabilities and pedestrians carrying heavy loads.

According to the DOTr, the footbridge is equivalent in height to a five-story building.

The Kamuning footbridge has a clearance height of nine meters, way beyond the minimum requirement of 5.33 meters.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) justified the walkway’s height in 2018, explaining that the footbridge needed to be three to four meters higher than the Metro Rail Transit Line 3’s power lines running along EDSA.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the new footbridge would be linked to the EDSA busway station in Kamuning.

“Mt. Kamuning will be replaced with a lower footbridge and equipped with an elevator,” Dizon said. “The most convenient location would be where our busway stop is situated so it can serve both purposes at once.”

The DOTr said the footbridge’s construction is expected to begin this year, although a completion date has yet to be disclosed.

The move is part of the Marcos administration’s broader initiative to make Metro Manila infrastructure more pedestrian- and commuter-friendly.

“The President’s directive is clear: to make our facilities more convenient for pedestrians and commuters. That’s exactly what we will do. We will ensure that the new overpass will be easier to use for our fellow citizens,” Dizon said.

According to budget records from the MMDA, P231.3 million was allocated between 2019 and 2023 to the agency’s Traffic and Transport Management Services for the construction of footbridges.

In 2018, the MMDA built the Kamuning footbridge at a cost of P10 million.

MMDA data shows that footbridges in Metro Manila typically cost between P5 million and P16 million each.

The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy noted that footbridges cost more than twice as much to maintain compared to at-grade crosswalks.

Metro Manila currently has 138 footbridges, many of which have been criticized for prioritizing vehicles over safe and convenient access for pedestrians.

The DOTr reiterated that future infrastructure projects under the EDSA rehabilitation plan would focus on accessibility, safety and integration with mass transit systems.