Goodbye Mt. Kamuning? Marcos Wants Infamously Tall Footbridge Taken Down

(SPOT.ph) Crossing the street shouldn't feel like climbing a mountain, and soon, it won't. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the demolition of the infamous footbridge in Quezon City, calling for a complete overhaul to make way for a more accessible alternative.

According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the new structure will be lower, easier to climb, and equipped with elevators.

"Ang tingin ko talaga sa saloobin ni Pangulo ay hindi naman talaga dapat ganito ang ginagawa natin para sa mga kababayan natin lalo na yung mga road users at komyuter," Dizon said.

“Sinabi sa akin, ‘We have to tear it down and build a better one,’ Malinaw ang utos ng Pangulo—gawing mas convenient ang facilities para sa pedestrians at commuters. ‘Yan ang gagawin natin, sisiguruhin natin na ‘yung ipapalit na overpass ay mas madali para sa mga kakabayan natin.”

The revamped footbridge will also connect directly to the GMA-Kamuning EDSA Busway station, making it a more practical option for commuters. Construction is expected to start within the year.

Also read: Seasoned Hikers Share Tips on Climbing the Country's Tallest...Footbridge

Towering almost nine meters above EDSA, the footbridge near GMA-Kamuning Station has earned nicknames like “Mt. Kamuning” and “Stairway to Heaven” for its dizzying height and steep stairs. Commuters have long joked about needing hiking gear to scale it, and in 2019, two mountaineers actually staged a mock expedition to its “summit,” complete with backpacks and a Philippine flag. 

The overpass was constructed in 2018 by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). It was intended to provide a safe albeit tiring crossing over EDSA and the MRT-3 tracks. The MMDA has previously defended the design, stating it was only intended for able-bodied pedestrians, as well as a necessary measure to discourage jaywalking and robberies in the area.

Oh, did we mention it cost P10 million to construct?

It’s even caught the eye of international observers. In 2022, Dutch diplomat Dirk Janssen tweeted a picture of the footbridge with a caption that, when translated, says: “There is no better way to make it clear to pedestrians that they don’t matter.”

Now, it looks like the climb is finally coming to an end.

Also read: EDSA's Infamous P10-Million Footbridge Gains International Attention