MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. suspended Sunday the planned rehabilitation of EDSA, saying it would allow government agencies to "find a better way" to repair the decades-old highway.

The Department of Public Works and Highways on Monday cited more reasons to delay the project, noting that Marcos was "very much concerned" about the expected inconvenience it would bring to the public and businesses around the thoroughfare.

Marcos Jr. suspends EDSA rehabilitation to find 'better way'

Marcos wanted to see if the EDSA rebuild could be done in a shorter period, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan told DZMM Radyo Patrol 630.

"We have to go back to the drawing board and see kung paano namin mapapabilis 'yung pagpapagawa ng EDSA, including 'yung inaano ni President that we have to look into new technologies of construction and materials that are available," the DPWH chief said. 

"Iniiwasan natin 'yung weekend na reblocking. The entire pavement of EDSA is almost 50 years old. Pag nag-start mag break 'yung pavement niyan, I think it's going to be exponential," he added.

According to the earlier plan, the rehabilitation would have started in the segment of EDSA from Pasay City to Shaw Boulevard and was projected to last from two to three years.

The rehabilitation would have also seen the implementation of an "odd-even" number coding scheme.