Pan-Philippine Highway

The Pan-Philippine Highway, also called the Maharlika Highway, is a long network of roads, bridges, and ferry services in the Philippines. It connects four big islands: Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. This highway is very important because it helps people and goods move around the country easily.

The Pan-Philippine Highway is the longest road in the Philippines, stretching about 3,379 kilometers or 2,100 miles long. It is part of National Route 1 and is also known as Asian Highway 26.

The highway starts in front of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol in Laoag and ends near the Zamboanga City Hall in Zamboanga City. It serves as the main backbone for travel and transport across the Philippines.

History

The Pan-Philippine Highway was a major infrastructure project started by President Ferdinand Marcos. It aimed to improve roads and transportation across the Philippines. From 1965 to 1969, workers built 3,003 kilometers of road and 11,333 bridges. The government hoped this would help farms, towns, and industries grow.

In 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos and the Japanese government worked together to fix and improve the highway. In 1998, 35 parts of the road were named "Scenic Highways" because they were nice for travelers to see.

In 2007, the highway became part of a bigger network called Asian Highway 26 (AH26). New signs were added to show drivers where they were going. Over time, the road was changed to use newer expressways. In 2026, plans were made to fully repair the highway, starting with areas in Quezon, Bicol Region, Samar, and parts of Mindanao.

Asian Highway Network

The Pan-Philippine Highway is part of the Asian Highway Network as AH26. This network aims to improve roads across many countries. The Philippines joined this project in 2007. Right now, this highway is the only one in the network that is not connected to others by land. Other island highways in places like Japan, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia connect to the main land parts through ferries. Even though it is separate, the Pan-Philippine Highway can still connect to other countries by ferry, such as the route from Zamboanga to Malaysia.

Route description

The Pan-Philippine Highway, also called the Maharlika Highway, is a major road system in the Philippines. It connects four big islands: Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. This highway is very long, measuring about 3,379.73 kilometers (2,100.07 miles).

The highway includes many roads, bridges, and ferry services. It is part of National Route 1 and also part of Asian Highway 26. The route goes through many cities and towns, with some parts needing ferry crossings between islands. There are also several smaller roads that connect to the main highway, making travel easier across the country.

AH26 officially runs along the following thoroughfares:

• .svg) 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 – Cabagan – Ilagan – Cauayan – Santiago – Solano – Bayombong – Santa Fe – San Jose City – Cabanatuan – Gapan – San Miguel – Baliwag – Pulilan – Guiguinto
• .svg) E1: Guiguinto – Quezon City
  • North Luzon Expressway: Santa Rita Interchange – Balintawak Interchange
• .svg) N1: Quezon City – Makati
  • EDSA (Eastern Route): Balintawak Interchange – Magallanes Interchange
• .svg) E2: Makati – Calamba
  • South Luzon Expressway: Magallanes Interchange – Calamba Exit
• .svg) N1: Calamba – Matnog
  • Maharlika Highway: Calamba – Santo Tomas – San Pablo – Tiaong – Candelaria – Sariaya – Tayabas
  • Lucena Diversion Road: Tayabas – Lucena – Pagbilao
  • Maharlika Highway: Pagbilao – Atimonan – Gumaca – Lopez – Calauag – Labo – Daet – Sipocot – Milaor – Naga City – Pili – Nabua – Polangui – Daraga – Sorsogon City – Irosin – Matnog
• Gap (San Bernardino Strait)
  • Matnog–Allen ferry line: Luzon – Visayas
• .svg) N1: Allen – Calbayog – Catbalogan – Tacloban – Palo – Mahaplag – Liloan
• Gap (Bohol Sea)
  • Liloan–Lipata ferry line: Visayas – Mindanao
• .svg) N1: Surigao City – Davao City
  • Maharlika Highway: Surigao City – Kitcharao
  • Surigao-Butuan National Highway: Kitcharao – Butuan
  • Davao-Agusan National Highway: Butuan – Bayugan – Tagum – Davao City
• N916-5: Davao City
  • Davao-Agusan National Highway
  • J.P. Laurel Avenue
  • C.M. Recto Avenue (one-way street)
  • Davao–Cotabato Road
• .svg) N1: Davao City – Zamboanga City
  • 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)

• .svg) N1: Quezon City – Caloocan
  • EDSA (Western Route): Balintawak Interchange – Monumento
• .svg) 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
• .svg) N1: Pasay – Makati
  • EDSA (Western Route): Roxas Boulevard – Magallanes Interchange

Luzon (South Skyway)

• .svg) E2: Makati – Muntinlupa
  • Skyway: Makati – Muntinlupa

Visayas

• .svg) N70: Palo – Carigara – Ormoc
• Gap (Camotes Sea)
  • Ormoc–Cebu ferry line

Mindanao

• .svg) N10: Davao City – Cagayan de Oro
  • Bukidnon–Davao Road: Davao City – Quezon – Maramag
  • Sayre Highway: Maramag – Malaybalay – Cagayan de Oro
• .svg) N9: Cagayan de Oro
• .svg) N946: Cagayan de Oro

Intersections

The Pan-Philippine Highway connects several important places across the Philippines. It links towns and cities through various roads and routes.

Auxiliary routes

There are also auxiliary routes that connect different parts of the main highway, helping travelers move between regions more easily. These routes include sections in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

In popular culture

The Pan-Philippine Highway is often shown in Philippine TV, music, and news because it is the main road that connects many parts of the country.

• Television: The highway was the main location for a Maalaala Mo Kaya episode called "Tsinelas" in 2011. It told the true story of two brothers who walked from Metro Manila to Samar to find their family. The episode featured actors AJ Perez and Bugoy Cariño.
• Music: The highway’s name is used in many travel songs and collections, like "The Pan-Philippine Highway Road Trip," which show its importance in OPM culture for bands traveling across the country.
• Journalism and Documentaries: Reporters have made many programs about the highway. For example, The Manila Times made a podcast called "Maharlika Highway: No more a royal road," looking at how the highway has changed from the 1970s until today.