Pan-Philippine Highway

Pan-Philippine Highway
Maharlika Highway
Route information
Length:	3,517 km (2,185 mi)
Major junctions
North end:	Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
South end:	Zamboanga City
Highway system
Major roads of the Philippines

The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway (AH26) is a 3,517 km (2,185 mi) network of roads, 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.

The northern terminus of the highway is at Laoag City, and the southern terminus is at Zamboanga City.

Development

The highway was proposed in 1965, with government planners believing that it, in conjunction with other road construction, would stimulate agricultural production by reducing transportation costs, encourage social and economic development outside the major urban centers, and expand industrial production for domestic and foreign markets. It was and supported by loans and grants from foreign aid institutions, including the World Bank. When completed, it was considered a major achievement in road construction.

The highway was rehabilitated and improved in 1997 with assistance from the Japanese government, and dubbed the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway.

In 1998, the Department of Tourism designated 35 sections of the highway as "Scenic Highways" with developed amenities for travelers and tourists.

Route

• Laoag City - Tuguegarao
• Cagayan Valley Road: Cagayan - Isabela - Nueva Vizcaya - Nueva Ecija - Bulacan
• Doña Remedios Trinidad Road: Baliuag - Pulilan
• MacArthur Highway: Guiguinto - Valenzuela - Caloocan
• Rizal Avenue: Caloocan - Manila
• Ronquillo and Bustos Streets: Plaza Carriedo
• Plaza Sta. Cruz
• Padre Burgos Avenue
• Taft Avenue: Manila - Pasay
• Redemptorist Road: Pasay - Parañaque
• Quirino Highway: Parañaque - Las Piñas
• Alabang-Zapote Road
• National Highway: Muntinlupa - Calamba
• Calamba - Batangas - Laguna - Quezon - Camarines Norte - Camarines Sur - Albay - Sorsogon
• Ferry from Matnog to Northern Samar
• Northern Samar - Samar - Leyte - Southern Leyte
• Ferry from Southern Leyte to Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Norte - Surigao del Sur - Agusan del Sur - Compostela Valley - Davao del Norte - Davao City - Davao del Sur - South Cotabato - Sultan Kudarat - Maguindanao - Lanao del Sur - Lanao del Norte - Zamboanga del Sur - Zamboanga City

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. It is currently the only highway in the network that does not connect to any other highway in the network — the 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.

See also

• Transportation in the Philippines
• Department of Public Works and Highways (Philippines)
• Asian Highway Network

References

• http://www.bookrags.com/history/worldhistory/pan-philippine-highway-ema-04/
• http://manilarat.blogspot.com/2005/11/philippine-tourism-highway.html
• http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org/about/economy.htm

External links

• mapCentral - Interactive Philippine map
• OpenStreetMap - Wikimap