DPWH inspects pothole-ridden Maharlika Highway in Samar

The Maharlika Highway in Samar is covered with potholes and mud, which not only risks accidents but also severe traffic congestion, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) observed Monday.

In a video taken by GMA Integrated News' Darlene Cay, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon experienced the road's conditions during an inspection of infrastructure projects in the province, with the road so bumpy the vehicle had to travel as slowly as 5 kilometers per hour.

A section of the highway is also under construction, so a stop-and-go traffic scheme has been implemented.

This decade-long problem in the caused longer travel times, since motorists have to travel slowly.

The Samar provincial government plans to construct a drainage system along the 200-km-long Maharlika Highway to drain rainwater in the area.

According to Dizon, 30% of the over 3,500-kilometer Maharlika Highway across the country is damaged.

Dizon said the DPWH will investigate why the district engineer failed to obtain clearance from the Philippine Ports Authority for the Calbayog Coastal Bypass Road, which started in 2019.

The DPWH also wants to fast-track the construction of the Gandara Bridge, which was damaged in 2020. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BM, GMA Integrated News