(UPDATE) THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will hire only the largest and most reputable contractors to repair and rehabilitate the Maharlika Highway, the longest road network in the country, to ensure quality and speedy construction.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said on Tuesday that the decision was arrived at following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure that the rehabilitation of the Maharlika Highway is completed within two years.
“The agency will no longer hire small contractors and will instead hire well-known contractors for the renovation of the country’s economic backbone,” Dizon said.
“I spoke to them. I want to meet them maybe this week or next week, and they have expressed interest to help out in the major projects, the priorities of the president, the highest priority of which is Daang Maharlika,” he added.
Maharlika Highway, also known as the Pan-Philippine Highway, spans 3,379.73 kilometers from Aparri in Northern Luzon to Jolo in Mindanao.
It is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao, serving as the country’s principal transport.
It will be the first time that the Maharlika Highway will be repaired since the road network was completed in the ‘70s.
It was estimated that about 70 percent of the road network needed repair.
“Top on our priority for 2026 is the repair of roads and bridges all over the country. There is no highway, no roads more important than the Maharlika Highways, from Aparri to Mindanao,” the DPWH chief said.
The repair and rehabilitation of Maharlika Highway would cost the government an initial P16 billion. This figure is expected to rise once the technical details and scope of the massive repair are finalized.
Dizon also said that there will be no more piecemeal implementation or rehabilitation of projects.
“This is the story of Maharlika, this is the story of other projects like the flyovers, this is the story of the hanging bridges. The funds are always being distributed piecemeal. This is what President BBM is changing. If we start something, we have to finish it,” he said.
“This will be a massive repair and rehabilitation effort. When I say massive, I mean all segments of the highway will be repaired from North to South, including the McArthur Highway, Quirino Highway, and Andaya Highway in Bicol,” he said.
Problematic infrastructure projects, Dizon said, would be assigned to new, young and dynamic engineers.
“Hao-shao, or fly-by-night, contractors will be barred from government projects. Only legitimate contractors will be allowed to participate,” the DPWH chief said, adding that the move will bring down the cost of construction.
Dizon said funds for infrastructure projects will be released in a lump sum instead of in tranches to prevent delays.
