Dizon assures significant improvement of Samar highway by 2027
DIZON
CALBAYOG CITY, Samar – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon is optimistic that damaged sections of the national highway in Samar province will be fixed by the end of 2027.
Dizon said on Monday that the rehabilitation of the Maharlika Highway will push through within two years with the commitment of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“Hopefully, by end of 2027, a significant portion of Maharlika Highway will be fixed. I committed to Samar officials to partner with big contractors to ensure that this is done fast and right. We will talk to big contractors to make Maharlika Highway a top priority,” Dizon said during the press briefing at the Red Iron Hotel.
Onboard a bus, Dizon and other key DPWH and local government officials led the inspection of the more than 200-kilometer road stretch from this city to San Juanico Bridge that links Samar to Leyte Island.
Dizon noted that aside from road potholes, the unique concern in Samar province is the deteriorating condition of steel bridges on the major highway, such as the Gandara Bridge, Calbiga Bridge, and San Juanico Bridge.
“We will use the budget of 2026, 2027, and savings from previous years to finance the rehabilitation. This can be funded locally, and there’s no need for foreign loan,” Dizon told reporters.
He said the DPWH has yet to come up with the funding requirement for the full rehabilitation activities.
In 2024, the DPWH said that to fully rehabilitate the road stretch in Samar, the government needs P29.75 billion, including P8.05 billion set aside in 2024 and the initial P6.96 billion for 2025.
Rehabilitating the Maharlika Highway in the region is a top priority of the central government since it forms part of the road network that links Luzon to Mindanao. (PNA)