Maharlika Highway in Eastern Visayas gets P1.4B for rehab

TACLOBAN CITY—President Marcos is allocating P1.4 billion for the rehabilitation of the section of the Maharlika Highway in Eastern Visayas that has been in a state of disrepair for years even as it is a vital link to Luzon via Northern Samar and to Mindanao through Southern Leyte.

“There are parts of the Maharlika Highway which were already dilapidated so we need to fix them and ensure the maintenance of this infrastructure,” the President said in speech at Northwestern Samar State University in Calbayog City in Samar province on July 4.

The project will be completed in March 2025, according to the President, who was in Calbayog to distribute aid to farmers and fisherfolk affected by the drought that hit the country during the first half of this year.

Mr. Marcos also promised to widen the roads in Samar province to hasten the flow of transportation.

The 395.52-kilometer Maharlika Highway section in Eastern Visayas, which stretches from Northern Samar to Southern Leyte, was started during the administration of former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the father of the incumbent President, but was never completed until some sections deteriorated, mainly those found in Samar province that totaled 205.75 km.

The poor state of the Maharlika Highway, particularly in Samar province, has drawn widespread criticism and mockery from the public.

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Edgar Tabacon, Department of Public Works and Highways director in Eastern Visayas, had previously expressed his own disappointment regarding the state of the highway, characterized by extensive potholes.

With funding from the current administration, Tabacon outlined a rehabilitation plan involving 107 projects, encompassing road and bridge widening, off-carriageway improvements, slope protection, installation of signage and pavement messaging.

“This project ranks among the top priorities of President Marcos Jr.’s administration,” Tabacon said.