As promised by Sec. Dizon
TACLOBAN CITY — Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan has welcomed the decision of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to tap large construction firms for the rehabilitation of the Daang Maharlika, saying the move could finally ensure the long-delayed project is completed on time and to proper standards.
Tan said engaging major contractors with sufficient manpower, equipment, and financial capacity would help address recurring delays that have hampered previous repair efforts along the Maharlika Highway.
“Big contractors have the resources to handle projects of this scale, which means they can complete the work as scheduled,” Tan said in an interview.“What we are really hoping for is the fast-tracking of the rehabilitation of the Maharlika Highway.”
The governor noted that she has repeatedly sought the repair of deteriorating national roads in Samar since 2019, but only temporary patchwork was undertaken by the DPWH, which she said further worsened road conditions over time.
Her statement followed Secretary Dizon’s inspection of Samar sections of the Daang Maharlika on Sunday and Monday, during which he personally observed severely damaged road segments and aging bridges along the national highway network.
The Daang Maharlika, also known as the Pan-Philippine Highway (AH26), spans more than 3,279 kilometers across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao and serves as a major corridor for trade, tourism, and daily transport. In Eastern Visayas, the highway covers 395.52 kilometers, with 205.75 kilometers located in Samar—considered among the most deteriorated portions of the route.
Dizon has committed to completing the full rehabilitation of the highway by 2027, with major contractors expected to be designated to carry out the large-scale repairs.
Tan added that the provincial government is also proposing the widening of certain sections of the highway to four lanes during rehabilitation, instead of retaining the existing two-lane configuration.
She said a four-lane road would ease traffic congestion, improve the movement of goods and services, and boost business, tourism, and trade along the Maharlika Highway.
ROEL T. AMAZONA, JOEY A. GABIETA
