The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will use projected savings to finance the long-delayed rehabilitation of the Maharlika Highway, the nation’s 3,000-kilometer main road linking Laoag City to Zamboanga City.
House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan said DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon informed him of the plan on the sidelines of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting on December 9, adding that it was a direct instruction from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“We welcome this development, especially because we, members of Congress from the Samar provinces, have been very vocal about the delays in repairing the highway,” Libanan said.
“Secretary Dizon told me that the DPWH will use the savings from sweeping cost reforms to fund the highway’s long-overdue restoration,” he added.
Eastern Visayas, including Libanan’s home province of Eastern Samar, has long suffered from the highway’s deteriorating condition, affecting mobility and commerce.
Earlier, Dizon said the DPWH expects to generate up to ₱60 billion in 2026 savings by aligning construction material prices, such as steel, gravel, and cement, with prevailing market rates. The reforms aim to eliminate price inflation, curb corruption, and free up funds for additional infrastructure projects nationwide.
Also known as Daang Maharlika or the Pan-Philippine Highway, the Maharlika Highway is the country’s longest and most critical transport corridor, connecting major islands and economic zones across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.