The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway (; ), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services connecting the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in the Philippines, serving as the country's principal transport backbone. Measuring in length, excluding sea routes not counted by highway milestones, it is the longest road in the Philippines and forms the north–south backbone component of National Route 1 (N1) of the Philippine highway network. The entire highway is designated as Asian Highway 26 (AH26) of the Asian Highway Network.
The highway's northern terminus is located in front of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol in Laoag, while its southern terminus is near the Zamboanga City Hall in Zamboanga City.
History The Pan-Philippine Highway System was an infrastructure program of President Ferdinand Marcos as a first priority project for the improvement and expansion of Philippine highway and land transport networks. The project required the concreting of from 1965 to 1969. This included the construction of 11,333 bridges, comprising the entire system. It is a mixture of old existing roads and new roads that would be eventually added to become part of the highway. Government planners believed that the motorway and other connected roads would stimulate agricultural production by reducing transport costs, encourage social and economic development outside existing major urban centers such as Manila, and expand industrial production for domestic and overseas markets. Construction, which continued in the following decades, was supported by loans and grants from foreign aid institutions, including the World Bank. In 1979, the highway was renamed to Maharlika Highway.
The highway was rehabilitated and improved in 1997, during the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos, with assistance from the Japanese government, and dubbed the "Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway". Japan's assistance is applied only up to Carmen, Davao del Norte at the south, thus covering only about or about 62% of the highway's entire length. In 1998, the Department of Tourism designated 35 sections of the highway as "Scenic Highways", with developed amenities for travelers and tourists. The highway was later realigned from the Digos–Maguindanao section of the Davao–Cotabato Road to traverse General Santos at the south.
The highway was officially designated as Asian Highway 26 (AH26), following the Philippines' 2007 ratification of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on the Asian Highway Network. In response, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) issued Department Order No. 15, initiating a two-phase project from 2009 to 2010 to install AH26 route markers and directional signs. The Pan-Philippine Highway originally encompassed untolled sections between Guiguinto, Bulacan, and Calamba, Laguna, but its alignment was later shifted to utilize the North and South Luzon Expressways, as well as EDSA. Auxiliary routes in Metro Manila, Leyte, and Mindanao were later added. In the mid-2020s, alongside N1, the highway was realigned from the Simuay–Landasan–Parang Road (now N937) to a bypass road also traversing between Parang and Sultan Mastura in Maguindanao del Norte.
Proposed rehabilitation In 2026, the DPWH announced a massive, full-scale rehabilitation of the Pan-Philippine Highway that is slated to start with a bidding around April. This initiative marks the first comprehensive overhaul of the highway since its completion in the late 1970s. According to Secretary Vince Dizon, the project would prioritize the highway's segments in Quezon, Bicol Region, Samar, and parts of Mindanao.
Asian Highway Network The Pan-Philippine Highway is designated as AH26 in the Asian Highway Network, a cooperative project which seeks to improve highway systems and standards across the continent. Ratified by the Philippines in 2007, it is currently the only highway in the system that is isolated from every other highway; island-based sections of the Asian Highway Network in Japan (AH1), Sri Lanka (AH43) and Indonesia (AH2) are all linked to the mainland sections by ferries to South Korea (AH1), India (Dhanushkodi), and Singapore, respectively. Despite its isolation, it can be linked internationally via ferry like the Zamboanga–Malaysia route.
Route description
AH26 officially runs along the following thoroughfares:
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 E1: Guiguinto – Quezon City North Luzon Expressway: Santa Rita Interchange – Balintawak Interchange N1: Quezon City – Makati EDSA (Eastern Route): Balintawak Interchange – Magallanes Interchange E2: Makati – Calamba South Luzon Expressway: Magallanes Interchange – Calamba Exit 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 N1: Allen – Calbayog – Catbalogan – Tacloban – Palo – Mahaplag – Liloan
Gap (Bohol Sea) Liloan–Lipata ferry line: Visayas – Mindanao 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 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 – Shariff Aguak – 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) N1: Quezon City – Caloocan EDSA (Western Route): Balintawak Interchange – Monumento 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 N1: Pasay – Makati EDSA (Western Route): Roxas Boulevard – Magallanes Interchange
Luzon (South Skyway) E2: Makati – Muntinlupa Skyway: Makati – Muntinlupa
Visayas N70: Palo – Carigara – Ormoc
Gap (Camotes Sea) Ormoc–Cebu ferry line
Mindanao N10: Davao City – Cagayan de Oro Bukidnon–Davao Road: Davao City – Quezon – Maramag Sayre Highway: Maramag – Malaybalay – Cagayan de Oro N9: Cagayan de Oro N946: Cagayan de Oro
Intersections Ilocos Norte in Bacarra
Cagayan in Abulug in Abulug at Magapit Interchange, Lal-lo in Tuguegarao in Tuguegarao in Tuguegarao in Tuguegarao
Isabela in Cabagan (northern terminus) in Cabagan in Cabagan (southern terminus) in Tumauini in Cauayan in Santiago in Santiago in Cordon
Nueva Vizcaya in Bagabag in Aritao in Santa Fe
Nueva Ecija in San Jose in Santo Domingo in Cabanatuan in Santa Rosa in Gapan
Bulacan
in San Rafael in Pulilan in Plaridel in Santa Rita, Guiguinto. Route number change from N1 to E1. in Balagtas in Balagtas in Meycauayan
Metro Manila in Valenzuela at Harbor Link Interchange, Valenzuela in Quezon City at Balintawak Interchange, Quezon City. Route number change from E1 to N1. in Quezon City in Quezon City in Quezon City in Quezon City in Quezon City in Quezon City in Quezon City at Ortigas Interchange in Quezon City and Mandaluyong in Mandaluyong in Makati in Makati in Makati at Magallanes Interchange, Makati. Route number change from N1 to E2.
in Taguig in Taguig in Parañaque and Muntinlupa in Alabang, Muntinlupa in Muntinlupa
Cavite in Carmona
Laguna (Biñan–Calamba) in Biñan in Santa Rosa in Calamba in Calamba. Route number change from E2 to N1.
Batangas in Santo Tomas in Santo Tomas (northern terminus) in Santo Tomas
Laguna (Alaminos–San Pablo) in Alaminos (two eastern termini) in San Pablo (two southern termini) in San Pablo
Quezon in Tiaong in Tiaong (northern terminus) in Tiaong in Tiaong (southern terminus) in Candelaria in Candelaria in Candelaria in Sariaya in Isabang, Tayabas in Isabang, Lucena in Gulang-Gulang, Lucena in Talipan, Pagbilao in Silangang Malicboy, Pagbilao in Atimonan in Gumaca (western terminus) in Gumaca in Gumaca (eastern terminus) in Lopez (western terminus) in Lopez in Lopez in Lopez (eastern terminus) in Lopez
Camarines Norte in Santa Elena in Labo in Daet (northern & southern termini)
Camarines Sur in Lupi in Lupi in Sipocot in Pamplona in San Fernando in Pili in Pili in Pili in Baao in Nabua in Bato
Albay in Polangui (two northern termini) in Ligao in Ligao in Daraga
Sorsogon in Pilar in Castilla in Sorsogon City (western terminus) in Sorsogon City in Sorsogon City (eastern terminus) in Bulan
Northern Samar in Allen
Samar in Calbayog in Calbayog in Calbayog (western & eastern termini) in Gandara (northern & southern termini) in Catbalogan in Paranas in Basey in Santa Rita
Samar–Leyte boundary
San Juanico Bridge
Leyte in Tacloban (northern terminus) in Tacloban in Tacloban in Tacloban (southern terminus) in Palo in Palo in Palo in Palo in Abuyog in Mahaplag
Southern Leyte in Sogod in Liloan in Liloan
Surigao del Norte in Surigao City in Placer
Agusan del Norte in Butuan in Butuan
Agusan del Sur in Prosperidad in Prosperidad in San Francisco in Trento
Davao de Oro in Montevista in Nabunturan
Davao del Norte in Tagum (northern terminus) in Tagum in Tagum (southern terminus) in Carmen in Panabo
Davao del Sur in Davao City in Davao City in Buhangin, Davao City in Buhangin, Davao City in Agdao, Davao City (eastern terminus) in Agdao, Davao City in Agdao & Buhangin, Davao City in Poblacion, Davao City in Poblacion, Davao City in Poblacion, Davao City in Talomo, Davao City in Talomo, Davao City (western terminus) in Davao City in Davao City in Davao City in Digos (northern terminus) in Digos in Digos in Hagonoy (southern terminus) in Sulop
South Cotabato in General Santos (eastern terminus) in General Santos in General Santos in General Santos
Sultan Kudarat in Tacurong in Surallah in Isulan in Esperanza
Maguindanao del Sur in Datu Saudi Ampatuan
Maguindanao del Norte in Sultan Kudarat in Datu Odin Sinsuat in Datu Odin Sinsuat in Sultan Mastura in Parang in Parang
Lanao del Sur in Malabang
Zamboanga del Sur in Labangan in Pagadian in Pagadian in Dumalinao in Tigbao
Zamboanga Sibugay in Diplahan in Imelda (two separate segments) in Ipil
Zamboanga City
. Southern terminus of AH26.
Auxiliary routes
Metro Manila (western route) – part of and in Balintawak, Quezon City. Northern terminus of AH26 auxiliary route in Metro Manila. in Caloocan. Route number change from N1 to N120. in Navotas in Navotas in Tondo, Manila in Tondo and San Nicolas, Manila in Ermita and Intramuros, Manila in Ermita, Manila in Ermita, Manila in Malate, Manila in Pasay in Pasay. Route number change from N120 to N1.