24/7 EDSA reblocking starts Holy Tuesday

MANILA, Philippines - Round-the-clock reblocking by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of some portions of EDSA will start on Holy Tuesday and will end on the Monday following Easter Sunday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Wednesday.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said roadworks by water utility companies will also be done simultaneously with the "ultimate reblocking" by the DPWH over the Holy Week.

"Yung reblocking wala nang pasok yung eskwela yung sa mga nag-oopisina siguro meron pero kokonti na lang yun. Ang sinasabi ko ay short-term pain, long-term gain. Tapusin na 'yan para 'di na mahirapan yung kababayan natin," said Tolentino.

Tolentino said the reblocking will end at 10 a.m. on the Monday after Easter and its scope is equal to reblocking works to be done by the DPWH on EDSA every weekends until December.

Tolentino and DPWH-National Capital Region director Reynaldo Tagudando met at the MMDA office in Makati on Tuesday. It was during the meeting that the DPWH agreed to finish all reblocking work on EDSA over the Holy Week.

Tolentino said that instead of conducting reblocking and road works on an "installment" basis during weekends, the DPWH has to complete all roadworks on EDSA over the Holy Week when traffic on the Metro's major artery is light.

"It will be a one-time re-blocking this Holy Week. This will be short-term pain, long0term gain," said Tolentino

According to Tagudando, the reblocking of EDSA from the Roxas Boulevard section in Pasay City to Monumento in Caloocan City will be done round-the-clock.

"We will conduct reblocking 24/7 so that we can finish it during the Holy Week," he said.

Tagudando said the repair of EDSA's northbound lane will start from Holy Tuesday until Good Friday while work on the southbound lane will start from Good Friday until Easter Sunday.

According to the DPWH-NCR, at least 80,775 square meters of EDSA still needs to be reblocked.

Tolentino said no more road works on EDSA will be allowed after the Holy Week.