CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the road maintenance project along portion of Daang Maharlika in Barangay Sumacab Este.

In a press statement released on Friday, DPWH Region 3 Director Roseller A. Tolentino said that local businesses will benefit from the newly-improved road.

He added that the project was undertaken to address the deteriorated condition of the road which previously hindered the smooth flow of traffic and posed risks to motorists, including heavy trucks transporting goods.

The completed road project involved the preventive maintenance of a 1.29-kilometer stretch of Daang Maharlika, covering its 4-lane carriageway, with additional road shoulder lanes. The project entailed removing old asphalt, applying emulsified asphalt, and resurfacing with a 50-millimeter thick bituminous concrete surface with an anti-rutting additive using a hot-laid method.

“This rehabilitation project is in line with the instruction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during his 2024 State of the Nation Address to rehabilitate Maharlika Highway. It significantly enhances the durability and safety of the roadway, ensuring a smoother and more efficient transport route for motorists and businesses relying on this vital corridor,” Tolentino added.

Implemented by DPWH Regional Office 3, the project was funded under the 2024 General Appropriations Act with a contract amount of P116.8 million.