The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is shifting its strategy for the rehabilitation of the Maharlika Highway, moving away from small-scale contractors in favor of the country’s largest construction firms to meet a strict two-year deadline.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said during a media briefing Tuesday that the move follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure the 3,300-kilometer highway — the nation’s “economic backbone” — is rebuilt with higher quality and speed.

Dizon said he plans to meet with major firms, such as EEI and Megawide, which typically focus on foreign-assisted or private sector projects rather than standard government contracts.

“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.”

The Pan-Philippine Highway, which links Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, has not seen a major overhaul since its completion in the late 1970s. Earlier this year, the DPWH estimated an initial rehabilitation cost of at least P16 billion, though Dizon noted the final figure could increase given the highway’s poor condition.