DOTr wants higher EDSA busway budget

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation will ask for higher funding for bus rapid transit (BRT) projects in Metro Manila to decongest major roads and support growing ridership, a DOTr official said yesterday.

Transportation Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor said the DOTr is seeking a higher budget for 2027 to keep up the expansion and maintenance of the EDSA busway.

Pastor said the DOTr would be requiring more funding compared to this year’s allocation because it is in the process of unifying the design and engineering of each busway station.

In 2025, the DOTr started the P247.59-million rehabilitation of the Monumento, Bagong Barrio, North Avenue and Guadalupe stations on the EDSA busway.

The agency awarded an P87.33-million deal to renovate the busway stop in Kamuning and replace the steep footbridge nearby with a modernized overpass.

Recently, the DOTr issued a P264.86-million contract to develop new busway stations. These stations will be located in Cubao, Magallanes and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange.

Pastor said the requested budget for 2027 would fund the rehabilitation of the remaining stations, especially as passenger traffic in the busway is increasing.

Based on DOTr data, the busway has become one of the most important transit modes in Metro Manila, with ridership rising by six percent to 66.67 million last year.

The DOTr is also preparing the busway for its looming turnover to a private group, although the plan is still being laid out by a foreign consultant.

Aside from the EDSA busway, Pastor said the DOTr is prioritizing the improvement of the Cebu BRT.

There are also efforts to complete a feasibility study for other busways in Metro Manila. One of these prospective BRTs is between España Boulevard and Quezon Avenue, a corridor that largely serves students.

For 2026, the DOTr has been allocated P88.71 million for the operation and maintenance of the busway.