The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway (
Tagalog: Daang Maharlika;
Cebuano: Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of
Luzon,
Samar,
Leyte, and
Mindanao in the
Philippines, serving as the country's principal transport backbone. Measuring 3,379.73 kilometers (2,100.07 mi) long excluding sea routes not counted by highway milestones, it is the longest road in the Philippines that forms the country's north–south backbone component of
National Route 1 (N1) of the
Philippine highway network. The entire highway is designated as Asian Highway 26 (AH26) of the
Asian Highway Network.[1][2]
The northern terminus of the highway is in front of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol in
Laoag and the southern terminus is at the southern end of
N1 near the Zamboanga City Hall in
Zamboanga City.[1][3]
History
The Pan-Philippine Highway System was an infrastructure program of
PresidentDiosdado Macapagal as a first priority project for the improvement and expansion of Philippine highway and land transport networks. It was stated in his final
State of the Nation Address in 1965 that the project requires the concreting of 3,003 kilometers (1,866 mi) from 1965 to 1969, which continued into the administration of President
Ferdinand Marcos. This included the construction of 11,333 bridges, comprising the entire system.[4] It is a mixture of old existing roads and new roads that would be eventually added to become part of the highway.[5][6][7] Government planners believed that the motorway and other connected roads would stimulate agricultural production by reducing transport costs, encourage social and economic development outside existing major urban centers such as
Manila, and expand industrial production for domestic and overseas markets. Construction, which continued in the following decades, was supported by loans and grants from foreign aid institutions, including the
World Bank. In 1979, the highway was renamed to Maharlika Highway.[8]
The highway was rehabilitated and improved in 1997, during the administration of President
Fidel V. Ramos, with assistance from the
Japanese government, and dubbed the "Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway".[9] Japan's assistance is applied only up to
Carmen, Davao del Norte at the south, thus covering only about 2,100 kilometers (1,300 mi) or about 62% of the highway's entire length.[10] In 1998, the
Department of Tourism designated 35 sections of the highway as "
Scenic Highways", with developed amenities for travelers and tourists.
Asian Highway Network
The Pan-Philippine Highway is designated as AH26 in the
Asian Highway Network, a cooperative project which seeks to improve highway systems and standards across the continent. Ratified by the Philippines in 2007, it is currently the only highway in the system that is isolated from every other highway; island-based sections of the Asian Highway Network in Japan (AH1), Sri Lanka (AH43) and Indonesia (AH2) are all linked to the mainland sections by ferries to South Korea (AH1),
India (
Dhanushkodi), and
Singapore, respectively. Despite its isolation, it can be linked internationally via ferry routes such as Laoag–
China and Zamboanga–
Malaysia.[3]
Route description
AH26 officially runs along the following thoroughfares:[11][3]
^The extent of E2/AH26 in Skyway is unknown since the
DPWH's GIS apps does not show any route designation for the tollway. Despite this, some E2/AH26 markers were seen between
Buendia,
Makati and
Alabang,
Muntinlupa until they were dismantled together with the center barriers in 2020.
^The northern end of the AH26 auxiliary route in Mindanao is at Marcos Bridge in
Cagayan de Oro.[3]
Alternative names
Pan-Philippine Highway also has alternative names, especially locally within the poblacion of respective town and cities.
^A segment of Manila North Road in
Laoag is also known as and a part of Laoag–Paoay Road.
^
abA segment of Pan-Philippine Highway in
Laoag and
Pagadian is locally known as J.P. Rizal Avenue, respectively.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway stretching north out of
Laoag is known as Gen.
Fidel V. Segundo Avenue.
^
abcdA segment of Pan-Philippine Highway here is locally known as National Highway.
^A segment of Bangag-Magapit Road is also known as Logac-Magapit Road in
Lal-lo,
Cagayan.
^The segment of Maharlika Highway from Isabela to Bulacan is also known as Cagayan Valley Road.
^Pan-Philippine Highway is also known as Doña Remedios Trinidad Highway from
San Rafael to
Pulilan in Bulacan, bypassing the respective municipal centers of
Baliuag and
Bustos.
^
abcA segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the town proper is locally known as J.P. Rizal Street.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the town proper of
Solano, Nueva Vizcaya is locally known as Aquino Avenue.
^
abThe segments of Maharlika Highway from Calamba to Tayabas, in Pagbilao, and from Atimonan to Matnog are historically referred to as Manila South Road.[5][12]
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the town proper of
Tiaong, Quezon is locally known as Doña Tating Street and Don V. Robles Street, respectively.
^
abcA segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the town proper is locally known as Rizal Avenue.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the town proper of
Sariaya, Quezon is locally known as General Luna Street.
^Lucena Diversion Road is also known as MSR Diversion Road.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the town proper of
Pagbilao, Quezon is locally known as Recto Street.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the town proper of
Gumaca, Quezon is locally known as A. Bonifacio Street.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway in
Naga,
Camarines Sur is locally known as Roxas Avenue or Diversion Road.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the city proper of
Sorsogon City is locally known as Rizal Street and Magsaysay Avenue, respectively
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the city proper of
Calbayog,
Samar is locally known as Jose D. Avelino Street or Senate President Jose Avelino Avenue.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway at the city proper of
Catbalogan,
Samar is locally known as Del Rosario Street, Curry Avenue, San Roque Street, and Rizal Avenue Extension, respectively.
^A segment of Davao-Cotabato Road in the vicinity of Panacan,
Davao City is also known as Davao City-Panabo City Road.
^The segment of Davao-Cotabato Road from the
Davao City proper to Talomo, Davao City partially covers and is also known as A. Pichon Street (a one-way street), Elpidio Quirino Avenue, and McArthur Highway, respectively.
^Digos-Makar Road is also known as Davao-GenSan National Highway
^A segment of Digos-Makar Road in General Santos is locally known as Jose Catolico Sr. Avenue.
^The segment of Marbel-Makar Road from
General Santos to
Polomolok,
South Cotabato is also known as General Santos - Polomolok National Road, GenSan - Polomolok National Road, or Polomolok National Highway.
^The segment of Marbel-Makar Road in
Polomolok (approaching
Tupi, South Cotabato) is also known as Polomolok - Tupi National Highway.
^A segment of Marbel-Makar Road in the
Koronadal city proper is locally known as Gensan Drive.
^Cotabato-Marbel Road is also known as Koronadal City - Cotabato City National Highway.
^
abA segment of Pan-Philippine Highway, including Cotabato–Malabang–Lanao del Norte Road, between
Tukuran,
Lanao del Sur and
Pagadian,
Zamboanga del Sur is also known as Tukuran–Pagadian Highway.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway between
Tukuran,
Zamboanga del Sur and
Zamboanga City is also known as Lanao–Pagadian–Zamboanga City Road and Pagadian City–Zamboanga City Road, respectively.
^A segment of Pan-Philippine Highway in
Zamboanga City is locally known as
Maria Clara L. Lobregat Highway, Veterans Avenue, Governor Lim Avenue, and Don Pablo Lorenzo Street, respectively.
^Mel Lopez Boulevard in Manila is known as Radial Road 10 or R-10 for partially being its component.
^Alternative name varies, according to its segments between towns/cities. For example, Palo–Carigara–Ormoc Road is also known as Palo–Santa Fe Road from
Palo to
Santa Fe,
Leyte.
^A segment of Palo–Carigara–Ormoc Road at the city proper of
Ormoc is locally known as Lilia Avenue, Apo Street, and Real Street, respectively.