After EDSA Rehabilitation, DPWH Says Maharlika Highway and C5 Are Next

(SPOT.ph) It turns out the EDSA rehabilitation project is only the beginning. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is already lining up the next major road repairs once it wraps up, putting the Maharlika Highway and Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) next on the list.

For 2026, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said its focus is on fixing what’s already broken, following a year of intense public scrutiny over infrastructure spending. The agency is now putting rehabilitation front and center—rather than new mega-projects—laying out what comes after EDSA as a way to show it's making good on its claim.

As we already know, the DPWH has set May 31, 2026 as its target completion date for the EDSA rehabilitation (if all goes well), which involves concrete pavement repairs along one of the busiest roads in Metro Manila used by more than 400,000 vehicles every day. The agency says work is ongoing around the clock to meet that deadline.

Here’s what DPWH has shared so far about the Maharlika Highway and C-5.

Also read: EDSA Rehabilitation Will Now Last 8 Months—Here's What You Need to Know

During a recent press briefing. Dizon revealed that the Maharlika Highway, also known as the Pan-Philippine Highway or AH26, is the natural next step. It is the longest road network in the country, stretching roughly 3,300 kilometers across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. Dizon has described its rehabilitation as a “massive” undertaking since it hasn’t been rehabilitated on this scale since it was built in the 1970s.

According to DPWH, many portions of the highway—particularly in provinces such as Pampanga, Quezon, parts of Bicol, and Eastern Visayas—are already showing significant deterioration due to age and heavy vehicle use. An initial budget of at least P16 billion has been floated, with officials stressing that the figure could still increase once detailed engineering assessments are complete.

“There is no road more important than the Maharlika Highway,” Dizon said. “Sira-sira all over the country. Hindi lang sa Luzon, pati sa Visayas, pati si Mindanao. Grabe ang kalbaryo, grabe ang hirap na dinaranas ng mga kababayan natin araw-araw dahil sa ganyang sitwasyon ng Maharlika Highway.”

Rehabilitation won’t be limited to one stretch. Included in the planned works are major segments such as MacArthur Highway, Quirino Highway, and Andaya Highway, which form key parts of the broader Maharlika road network.

“When I say massive, I mean all segments na sira ay aayusin natin, mula north hanggang south,” Dizon said.

What remains unclear for now is which sections will be tackled first. As of writing, DPWH has not released a detailed schedule or timeline.

Closer to the capital, C-5 Road also figures into DPWH’s 2026 agenda. Rather than jumping straight into construction, Dizon said the agency is currently drafting the design for its rehabilitation, with the plan due by the end of the first quarter of 2026. Only then can the actual rehabilitation start.

C-5 is next in line largely because it takes the brunt of the truck traffic being rerouted away from EDSA. DPWH explained that the constant flow of heavy vehicles has caused repeated damage to the road, making it necessary for extensive repairs rather than just routine resurfacing.

“This is the backbone used by trucks, which easily gets damaged,” Dizon said.

C-5 is Metro Manila’s fifth circumferential road, its 43.87 kilometers running through Valenzuela City, Quezon City, Pasig City, Taguig, Pasay City, Parañaque City and Las Piñas City.

Also read: DPWH, What's With Repairing Undamaged Roads?