The Move As One Coalition on Sunday announced the Rebuild EDSA Design Challenge, inviting the public to submit design concepts for a more people-centric thoroughfare.
“EDSA is getting rebuilt. This is our chance to make it work for people, not just cars,” said the Move As One Coalition, an advocacy group for safer, more humane, and inclusive public transportation in the Philippines.
“Have ideas on how we can rebuild EDSA to be safe, inclusive, and dignified for the thousands who walk, bike, and commute every day? Submit a design concept and get the chance to win P100,000,” it said.
The deadline for design submissions is Aug. 24, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
“For many Filipinos, EDSA is a daily test of patience, time, and dignity. It’s more than a road—it’s a lifeline,” the coalition said. “Before construction resumes, we have a rare chance to ask: Can EDSA be rebuilt to serve commuters first?”
The Rebuild EDSA project aims to create a “people-centric, accessible, inclusive, and safe public realm that prioritizes pedestrians and everyday commuters.”
The P8.7-billion rehabilitation of EDSA was postponed following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to review implementation strategies and explore faster, less disruptive methods. This pause offers a unique opportunity to reimagine EDSA as a people-first corridor.
“Participants are invited to propose interventions for specific station zones that interface directly with EDSA’s outer lanes, considering multimodal access, pedestrian safety, active transport, integration with public transport, and public space quality,” the coalition said.
The designated areas for design are Roosevelt (Quezon City), Cubao (Quezon City) and Guadalupe (Makati). These pilot sites were chosen for their role as key feeder routes, high daily foot traffic, and strategic importance in improving accessibility and multimodal integration along EDSA.
Design concepts will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Comfort and Walkability: Designs should promote a pleasant and stress-free experience for pedestrians and cyclists, allowing for comfortable, safe, and easy movement.
Inclusive and Seamless Access: Designs must ensure that everyone, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transport, can navigate the space with dignity and without barriers, supporting equitable access and movement for all.
Safety and Security: Designs should foster a sense of safety and trust, encouraging users to feel secure at any time of day and confidently use the street.
Context-Aware and Implementable Design: Designs must respond to the realities of the site and community, demonstrating feasibility, maintainability, and meaningfulness within the given context.
User Amenities (Quality of Life Features): Designs should enhance daily street experiences by offering opportunities to pause, connect, and enjoy the space, making the street a place to “be” rather than just “pass through.”
Prizes for the challenge are Grand Prize: P100,000; Second Place: P50,000; Third Place: P25,000; and People’s Choice Award (Special Category): P10,000.
A group of experts will review all entries and select a shortlist based on the judging criteria. The panelists will include professionals from transport planning, architecture and urban design, road safety, active mobility and public transport advocacy and accessibility and disability inclusion.
The top five shortlisted entries will be evaluated by representatives from local and national government agencies, health and planning professionals and civil society representatives.
“The rehabilitation of EDSA must go beyond prioritizing the movement and speed of vehicles. It is an opportunity to build a people-first corridor—one that prioritizes the safety and accessibility of pedestrians, especially for children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, and caregivers,” the coalition said.
“It’s time we redefine EDSA not as a highway that divides, but as a shared civic space that connects, supports, and uplifts the people of Metro Manila,” it said.
The challenge is organized by Move As One, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, and Alt Mobility PH, with support from the Clean Mobility Collective Southeast Asia.
