Major contractors eyed for highway rehab

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February 4, 2026 | 12:00am

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) plans to engage the country’s biggest and most reputable contractors to carry out Maharlika Highway’s rehabilitation.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said they want to package into one big contract the Maharlika Highway road network project with components stretching from Cagayan to Mindanao.

“Our plan here is we will pour all (rehabilitation funding for Maharlika Highway repair activities) into one (contract),” he said at Monday’s press conference in this city.

“This is my commitment to leaders here... a big contractor will be the one to undertake the rehabilitation of the Maharlika. We will not do it in small segments. Because that was what had been the cause of the problems we are facing now,” he added.

Present at the conference were Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan, acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, Philippine Ports Authority general manager Jay Santiago and other officials.

Dizon explained that small piecemeal funding and awarding of rehabilitation contracts led to the current scenario, where DPWH projects only attract small, untested contractors with scant experience in infrastructure rehabilitation works.

The public works chief disclosed that he has spoken with several major contractors and is seeking to meet with them within the week or next week.

Major contractors have expressed interest in helping implement President Marcos’ priority infrastructure programs, he added.

“If they are the ones who will do this, we can be sure it will be fast. We can be sure of the quality,” Dizon said. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab