DILIMAN, Quezon City — Department of Transportation (DoTr) secretary Jaime Bautista corrected reports that the government is planning to remove the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) Busway and instead disclosed that there are plans to hand over the busway's operations to a private sector operator in order to further improve commuter experience.

Bautista explained that the DoTr recognizes the significance of the passenger bus lane in having an efficient public road transport system plying the country’s premier higway so it will most likely continue providing service to the riding public.

He added that there are plans to improve the EDSA Busway through the privatization of its operations and management.

“Yes, hindi tatanggalin ang EDSA Busway. Nagkaroon lang ng discussion diyan pero hindi siya tatanggalin,” he pointed out in reaction to a pronouncement by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Romando Artes that the EDSA Busway will be eventually removed once the carrying capacity of the MRT3 has been increased.

To allay fears of the commuting public over the MMDA's plans, Bautista that he and other Cabinet members had recently met with President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. to discuss the Comprehensive Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) for Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

He clarified that the busway is “not necessarily a replication of the MRT3 because the MRT3 rail line serves riders only from North Avenue in Quezon City up to Taft Avenue in Pasay City while the busway goes all the way from Monumento in Caloocan to the PTIX IN Parañaque.

He added that even point-to-point buses (P2P) and airport express buses are now being allowed to ply the EDSA Busway to help alleviate congestion along the country’s busiest thoroughfare.