The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is shifting the rehabilitation of the Maharlika Highway to the country’s largest contractors as it rushes to complete a substantial portion of the country’s main transport artery by as early as next year.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said at a media briefing on Tuesday that the shift ends DPWH’s use of small contractors for the project and responds to national orders to complete the highway overhaul within two years, with faster delivery and better quality.

Dizon said only established firms will now be tapped to rebuild what he called the country’s economic backbone.

“Typically, they do not join government projects; they usually only join foreign-assisted projects. They never joined DPWH projects. I spoke to them, I want to meet them maybe this week or next week, and they have expressed interest in the major projects, the priorities of the President, the highest priority of which is Daang Maharlika,” Dizon said.

“If we do this properly, hopefully as early as the end of 2027, a large portion of Maharlika from Northern Luzon to Mindanao will be fixed, especially the parts that are always damaged,” he added.

According to the Public Works chief, tapping major contractors would allow the agency to fast-track the rehabilitation while ensuring higher construction standards, stressing that the government is prioritizing long-term durability over quick fixes that fail within months, even if this means the work takes slightly longer to complete.

Early this year, the DPWH said it initially plans to spend at least P16 billion to rehabilitate the Maharlika Highway.

“There’s no final cost yet, but I think the minimum is about P16 billion. That’s the initial figure I saw, but it could increase. A significant amount of spending is required for Maharlika (because) it stretches from North Luzon to Mindanao. It’s really in bad shape,” Dizon said earlier.

The Maharlika Highway—also known as the Pan-Philippine Highway—stretches over 3,300 kilometers, linking Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao through a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and Ro-Ro routes.

Despite its critical role in connecting the country, the highway has not undergone major rehabilitation since it was completed in the late 1970s.