MARCH 4, 2026 — Metro Manila’s traffic nightmare has always been a political minefield, and now it’s Makati that’s being cast as the choke point. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla recently accused Mayor Nancy Binay of blocking a proposed elevated connector road that would link Buendia Avenue directly to the Skyway system — a project touted as a long-term fix for EDSA’s daily gridlock.

Speaking on his DZRH program Executive Session, Remulla held nothing back when he said, “Dito lang sa Makati mismo, may proposal diyan na lagyan ng second floor ang Buendia to EDSA papuntang Skyway para ma-decongest ang EDSA. EDSA-Skyway connection. Hinaharang ni Nancy Binay. Ayaw ni Nancy Binay. Gusto raw niyang magtanim ng puno.” 

(Here in Makati itself, there’s a proposal to put a second floor from Buendia to EDSA going to Skyway to decongest EDSA. Nancy Binay is blocking it. She doesn’t want it. She reportedly wants to plant trees.)

The project, tied to San Miguel Corporation’s expressway network, aims to connect NAIAX to Gil Puyat Avenue, bypassing Makati’s notorious bottleneck. Remulla painted Makati as the “embudo” — the funnel where traffic momentum dies. He insists all permits are in place, except for Makati’s nod.

Binay’s alleged refusal isn’t about paperwork, but about greenery. Planting trees sounds noble, but does it outweigh the daily agony of motorists stuck for hours on EDSA? We know too well that traffic is more than inconvenience. It’s lost productivity, missed opportunities, and frayed patience.

This clash highlights a bigger tension: urban development versus environmental preservation. Do we prioritize concrete solutions to traffic or green spaces in the city? Both matter, but when the capital’s main artery is clogged, the public will demand answers … and reform.

Will Makati’s trees be worth more than Metro Manila’s freedom to move? 

(Image: Philippine News Agency)