Manila: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be conducting engineering technology testing for the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) Rebuild Project. In a television interview on Tuesday, Secretary Manuel Bonoan said that while they have yet to determine how long the entire process could take, it will initially involve two main steps: strengthening the base and sub-base of the road, and installing a running surface.

According to Philippines News Agency, Secretary Bonoan mentioned that if the engineering technology testing is successful, there will be no need to excavate the entire section of EDSA. "We are trying to put it into a time and motion process to determine how long it will take us to all the rebuild program. We will conduct the tests on the most travelled roads, the ones frequently used by trucks," he said. Bonoan added that the installation of the running surface will still be done by lane and mostly at night to ease traffic congestion.

On June 1, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered a one-month suspension of the EDSA rehabilitation, which was originally scheduled to begin on June 13. Marcos underscored the need to reassess the cost-benefit of the two-year rehabilitation project, citing the heavy traffic burden it would impose on hundreds of thousands of commuters and motorists using EDSA.

In his vlog on June 8, Marcos said the rehabilitation would not proceed unless comprehensive rerouting plans are in place and local government units are fully prepared to handle the expected disruptions. The 23.8-kilometer major thoroughfare spans five Metro Manila cities -- Caloocan, Quezon, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Pasay.