THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it has ramped up road maintenance works in preparation for the anticipated influx of travelers during Holy Week.
Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize road safety and commuter convenience, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Wednesday said all DPWH regional and district engineering offices were ordered to ensure that all major thoroughfares are well-maintained and free from obstructions.
Ongoing maintenance activities, Dizon said, include the repair of potholes and cracks, repainting of faded road markings, clearing of overgrown vegetation, and restoration of damaged or missing road signs.
“Our teams are working round-the-clock shifts to ensure major thoroughfares are well-maintained and free from obstruction and potholes,” Dizon said, adding that the DPWH would also provide emergency assistance to commuters before and after the observance of Holy Week.
Dizon said one of the DPWH’s priority projects was the road repairs on the Andaya Highway in Sipocot, Camarines Sur, which is one of the main arteries of the Maharlika Highway.
“Remember, it’s not only people from Bicol who pass through here — everyone does, including those going to Visayas and Mindanao. At least with our Holy Week timeline, we can provide this to our fellow citizens,” he said.
Dizon said that travel will now be continuous as the one-way system will no longer be implemented in preparation for the Holy Week rush.
“We need to ensure that before Holy Week, the Maharlika Highway is fully passable — from Quezon, Bicol, Samar to Leyte. We make sure that our (DPWH) regional director will deliver and that all our ongoing projects will be completed quickly so that before Holy Week all these one-way sections will already be open,” he added.
The DPWH also opened the northbound lane of the Tuganay Bridge, a key infrastructure link between Carmen and Panabo City, serving as a primary artery for travelers from Davao City to Tagum and the northern regions.
“This will be a great relief for the more than 30,000 motorists and commuters who pass through it every day, especially with Holy Week approaching,” Dizon added.
The P516 million bridge project, including the pedestrian structures and final island finishing, is expected to be completed by the end of May 2026, in line with the president’s directive to accelerate completion of unfinished infrastructure projects nationwide and as part of the ongoing initiatives in the region to improve traffic flow and support local development.
Dizon said the DPWH is working on the completion of a critical diversion road leading to Bauan Port in Batangas and speeding up the resolution of the right-of-way issue so that work can proceed on the stalled Casile-Tagaytay Bypass Road.
“Our priority at the DPWH right now is bypass roads. We really want to finish these bypasses so we can decongest cities. Plus, you can create a lot of economic activity along the route, just like here in Cabuyao. This is a big deal — opening this will be a huge benefit,” Dizon said following an inspection of the Casile-Tagaytay Road.
He said the diversion road to the Port of Bauan will benefit the local economy in San Roque, Bauan, as it will improve transportation and shorten travel time in the area.
“The economic benefit of this road is very significant, and it will even go beyond Bauan. Right now, all the trucks coming from the ports in Batangas that are heading to Bauan pass through the town center and the main road. So the people there will experience less traffic, and their daily lives will become easier once all these trucks pass through this route instead,” Dizon said.
