Pan-Philippine Highway Explained

Country:	PHL
Type:	AH
Route:	26
Map:	Maharlika Highway map.png
Map Notes:	Map of the Philippines showing the route of
Image Notes:	The segment of the highway in
Maint:	the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
Length Km:	3379.73
Length Ref:	^[1]
Length Notes:	Excludes sea route Includes 96.98km (60.26miles) Tacloban–Ormoc spur and 292.39km (181.68miles) Davao–Cagayan de Oro spur
Established:	1960s
Terminus A:	Laoag, Philippines
Direction A:	North
Terminus B:	Zamboanga City, Philippines
Direction B:	South

The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway (tl|Daang Maharlika; ceb|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 3379.73km (2,100.07miles) 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.^[2]

The northern terminus of the highway is in front of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol in Laoag and the southern terminus is near the Zamboanga City Hall in Zamboanga City.

History

The Pan-Philippine Highway System was an infrastructure program of President Diosdado 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 3003km (1,866miles) 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.^[3] It is a mixture of old existing roads and new roads that would be eventually added to become part of the highway.^[4] ^[5] ^[6] 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.^[7]

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".^[8] Japan's assistance is applied only up to Carmen, Davao del Norte at the south, thus covering only about 2100km (1,300miles) or about 62% of the highway's entire length.^[9] 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.

Route description

AH26 officially runs along the following thoroughfares:^[10] ^[11]

N1: Laoag – Guiguinto
- Manila North Road/Maharlika Highway: Laoag – Burgos – Aparri
- Bangag-Magapit Road: Aparri – Lal-lo
- Cagayan Valley Road: Lal-lo – Tuguegarao
- Maharlika Highway: San Pablo – Ilagan – Santiago – Solano – Bayombong – San Jose City – Cabanatuan – Gapan – San Miguel – Baliuag – Pulilan – Guiguinto
E1: Guiguinto – Quezon City
- North Luzon Expressway

Santa Rita Interchange – Balintawak Interchange

N1: Quezon City – Makati
- EDSA (Eastern Route): Balintawak Interchange – Magallanes Interchange
E2: Makati – Calamba
- South Luzon Expressway: Magallanes Interchange – Calamba Exit
N1: Calamba – Matnog
- Maharlika Highway: Calamba – Santo Tomas – San Pablo – Tiaong – Candelaria – Sariaya – Tayabas
- Lucena Diversion Road: Tayabas – Lucena – Pagbilao
- Maharlika Highway: Pagbilao – Gumaca – Calauag – Daet – Milaor – Naga City – Daraga – Sorsogon City – Matnog
Gap (San Bernardino Strait)
- Matnog–Allen ferry line: Luzon – Visayas
N1: Allen – Calbayog – Catbalogan – Tacloban – Palo – Mahaplag – Liloan

Gap (Bohol Sea)
- Liloan–Lipata ferry line: Visayas – Mindanao
N1: Surigao City – Zamboanga City
- Maharlika Highway: Surigao City – Kitcharao
- Surigao-Butuan National Highway: Kitcharao – Butuan
- Davao-Agusan National Highway: Butuan – Bayugan – Tagum – Davao City
- J.P. Laurel Avenue: Davao City
- C.M. Recto Avenue: Davao City (one-way street)
- Davao–Cotabato Road: Davao City – Digos
- Digos-Makar Road: Digos – Malungon – General Santos
- Marbel-Makar Road: General Santos – Polomolok – Koronadal
  - - Cotabato-Marbel Road: Koronadal – Banga – Surallah – Norala Isulan-Surallah Road: Isulan
- Marbel-Allah Valley-Cotabato Road: Isulan – Cotabato City
- Cotabato-Lanao Road: Cotabato City – Matanog
- Cotabato–Malabang–Lanao del Norte Road: Sultan Dumalondong – Picong
- Malabang–Dobleston–Tukuran Road: Sultan Naga Dimaporo
- Tucuran Junction–Karomatan Junction Road: Tukuran
- Maharlika Highway: Tukuran – Pagadian– Ipil – Tungawan – Zamboanga City

Auxiliary Routes

Alternatively, AH26 runs along the following thoroughfares:

Luzon (West Metro Manila)

N1: Quezon City – Caloocan
- EDSA (Western Route): Balintawak Interchange – Monumento
N120: Caloocan – Pasay
- Samson Road: Caloocan
- Gen. San Miguel Street: Caloocan
  - - C-4 Road: Caloocan – Malabon – Navotas R-10: Navotas
- Mel Lopez Boulevard: Manila
- Bonifacio Drive: Manila
  - Roxas Boulevard: Manila – Pasay N1: Pasay – Makati
- EDSA (Western Route): Roxas Boulevard – Magallanes Interchange

Luzon (South Skyway)

E2: Makati – Muntinlupa
- Skyway: Makati – Muntinlupa

Visayas

N70: Palo – Ormoc

Gap (Camotes Sea)
- Ormoc–Cebu ferry line

Mindanao

N10: Davao City – Cagayan de Oro
- Bukidnon–Davao Road

Davao City – Quezon – Maramag

- Sayre Highway: Maramag – Malaybalay – Cagayan de Oro
N9: Cagayan de Oro
N946: Cagayan de Oro

Intersections

Ilocos Norte

in Bacarra

Cagayan

in Abulug
in Abulug
at Magapit Interchange, Lal-lo
in Tuguegarao
in Tuguegarao
in Tuguegarao
in Tuguegarao

Isabela

Nueva Vizcaya

in Bagabag
in Aritao

Nueva Ecija

Bulacan

in San Rafael
in Pulilan
in Plaridel
in Santa Rita, Guiguinto. Route number change from N1 to E1.
- in Balagtas in Balagtas
in Meycauayan

Metro Manila

in Valenzuela
at Harbor Link Interchange, Valenzuela
in Unang Sigaw, Quezon City
at Balintawak Interchange, Quezon City. Route number change from E1 to N1.
in Unang Sigaw, Quezon City
in Muñoz, Quezon City
in Diliman, Quezon City
in Diliman, Quezon City
in Diliman, Quezon City
in Cubao, Quezon City
near Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City
at Ortigas Interchange in Quezon City and Mandaluyong
in Mandaluyong
- in Makati in Makati
in Makati
at Magallanes Interchange, Makati. Route number change from N1 to E2.

in Taguig
in Taguig
- in Parañaque and Muntinlupa in Alabang, Muntinlupa
in Muntinlupa

Cavite

in Carmona

Laguna (Biñan–Calamba)

- in Biñan in Santa Rosa
in Calamba. Route number change from E2 to N1.

Batangas

in Santo Tomas
in Santo Tomas

Laguna (Alaminos–San Pablo)

in Alaminos (western & eastern termini)
in San Pablo (two southern termini)

Quezon

in Tiaong (northern terminus)
in Tiaong
in Tiaong (southern terminus)
in Candelaria (western & eastern termini)
- - in Sariaya in Isabang, Tayabas in Isabang, Lucena
in Gulang-Gulang, Lucena
in Talipan, Pagbilao
in Silangang Malicboy, Pagbilao
in Gumaca
in Lopez
in Lopez

Camarines Norte

in Santa Elena
in Labo
in Daet (northern & southern termini)

Camarines Sur

in Sipocot
in Pamplona
in Pili
in Pili
in Pili
in Baao
in Nabua
in Bato

Albay

in Polangui (two northern termini)
in Ligao
in Ligao
in Daraga

Sorsogon

in Pilar
in Castilla
in Sorsogon City (western terminus)
in Sorsogon City
in Sorsogon City (eastern terminus)
in Bulan

Northern Samar

in Allen

Samar

in Calbayog
in Calbayog
in Gandara (northern & southern termini)
in Catbalogan
in Paranas
in Basey
in Santa Rita

Samar–Leyte boundary

San Juanico Bridge

Leyte

in Tacloban
in Tacloban
in Palo
in Palo
in Abuyog
in Mahaplag

Southern Leyte

in Sogod
in Liloan
in Liloan

Surigao del Norte

in Surigao City
in Placer

Agusan del Norte

in Butuan

Agusan del Sur

in Prosperidad
in Prosperidad
in San Francisco
in Trento

Davao de Oro

in Montevista
in Nabunturan

Davao del Norte

in Tagum (northern terminus)
in Tagum
in Tagum (southern terminus)
in Carmen
in Panabo

Davao del Sur

in Panacan, Davao City (eastern terminus)
in Buhangin, Davao City
in Buhangin, Davao City
in Agdao, Davao City (eastern terminus)
in Agdao, Davao City
in Agdao & Buhangin, Davao City
in Poblacion, Davao City
in Poblacion, Davao City
in Poblacion, Davao City
in Talomo, Davao City
in Talomo, Davao City (western terminus)
in Talomo, Davao City (western terminus)
in Talomo, Davao City
in Bago Aplaya, Davao City
in Digos (northern terminus)
in Digos
in Digos
in Digos (southern terminus)
in Sulop

South Cotabato

in General Santos (eastern terminus)
in General Santos
in General Santos
in General Santos

Sultan Kudarat

Maguindanao del Sur

in Datu Saudi Ampatuan

Maguindanao del Norte

in Sultan Kudarat
in Datu Odin Sinsuat
in Datu Odin Sinsuat
in Datu Mastura
in Parang
in Parang

Lanao del Sur

in Malabang

Zamboanga del Sur

in Tukuran

Zamboanga Sibugay

in Ipil

Zamboanga City

- - . Southern terminus of AH26.

Auxiliary routes

Metro Manila (western route) – part of and

in Balintawak, Quezon City. Northern terminus of AH26 auxiliary route in Metro Manila.
in Caloocan. Route number change from N1 to N120.
in Navotas
in Navotas
in Tondo, Manila
in Tondo and San Nicolas, Manila
in Ermita and Intramuros, Manila
in Ermita, Manila
in Ermita, Manila
in Malate, Manila
in Pasay
in Pasay. Route number change from N120 to N1.
in Pasay
in Pasay
at Magallanes Interchange, Makati. Southern terminus of AH26 auxiliary route in Metro Manila.

Visayas (western route) – part of

in Palo. Northern terminus of AH26 auxiliary route in Visayas.
in Capoocan
in Ormoc
in Ormoc
in Ormoc

Mindanao – part of and

in Davao City. Southern terminus of AH26 auxiliary route in Mindanao.
in Arakan
in Maramag
in Maramag (southern terminus of southern section)
in Valencia
in Valencia (northern terminus of southern section)
in Malaybalay (northern & southern terminus of northern section)
in Cagayan de Oro
in Cagayan de Oro
in Cagayan de Oro
in Cagayan de Oro
in Cagayan de Oro
in Cagayan de Oro

Notes

Alternative names

Pan-Philippine Highway also has alternative names, especially locally within the poblacion of respective town and cities.

External links

Economy

Notes and References

Web site: Asian Highway 26 (AH26). Department of Public Works and Highways. Maria Catalina. Cabral. ESCAP. May 16, 2022.
Web site: Department Order No. 15, series of 2009: Installation of Route Markers & Directional Signs along the Asian Highway - Route AH26 (Daang Maharlika) . March 22, 2009 . Department of Public Works and Highways . August 8, 2021.
Macapagal. Diosdado. Fourth State of the Nation Address. January 25, 1965.
Southern Luzon Western Sheet . 1941 . 1:200000 . US Geodetic Survey . Washington D.C. . September 23, 2021 .
1944 Army Map Service Road Map of Northern Luzon, Philippines . 1944 . 1:1000000 . Army Maps Service, Corps of Engineers . Washington D.C. . September 23, 2021 .
1944 Army Map Service Road Map of the Central and Southern Philippines . 1944 . 1:1000000 . Army Maps Service, Corps of Engineers . Washington D.C. . September 23, 2021 .
PP. 1902, s. 1979. Changing the Name of the Pan-Philippine Highway into the Maharlika Highway. September 13, 1979. May 5, 2022.
Web site: Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway Rehabilitation Project (I) (II). Japan International Cooperation Agency. 2007. February 25, 2022.
Web site: Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway (Mindanao Section) Rehabilitation Project, Phase I and II . Japan International Cooperation Agency. 2009. December 31, 2022.
News: What does AH26 road sign mean?. Rappler.com. November 17, 2014. August 8, 2021.
Web site: ROAD AND BRIDGE INFORMATION APPLICATION. Department of Public Works and Highways. November 21, 2023.