Asian Highway 26
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Asian Highway 26, better known through various names like Maharlika Highway (Filipino: Daang Maharlika) and Pan-Philippine Highway, is a major north-south highway traversing the Philippines. While a journey from its termini at Laoag and Zamboanga can be done faster through a more direct route via Angeles, Manila, Batangas, Mindoro, Iloilo and Negros (and a possible additional stop in Cebu), Asian Highway 26 provides a more scenic route through various landscapes of the Philippines.
Understand
The highway was proposed during Ferdinand Marcos' presidency, but some sections were constructed earlier. Asian Highway 26 forms of highways in Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao, excluding spurs and ferry connections. While it is a major north-south road, it bypasses other major points in the Visayas, which are rather served by road and ferry connections.
It is the only completely isolated route of the Asian Highway system. Maps by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), which assigns the Asian Highway numbers, show connections to China (to Asian Highway 1) and Malaysia (to Asian Highway 150 or the Pan-Borneo Highway from Sandakan), but there are no ferries to China, and the Zamboanga-Sandakan ferry route is passenger-only.
Prepare
The itinerary most covers travel by car, but car rentals are seldom found outside the large cities. There is good coverage of public transport, from buses, minivans and jeepneys.
The highway is a more easterly route through Luzon, Samar and Leyte, and Mindanao. It takes over 45 hours to complete driving the route, if you do not stop for food or rest, or longer if travelling by bus. Conditions on the highway vary, from wide tolled expressways and avenues in Metro Manila and suburbs, to narrow meandering two-lane highways through the middle of small villages and towns.
It is unrealistic to drive for over a day without allowing any time for sightseeing and food dining, and it is also easy to underestimate travel times. Rainy weather and typhoons can hamper trips if you travel during the monsoon season. Except for mountain passes or sections through rainforest, almost the entire route passes through barangays (small villages), so watch out for people crossing or tricycles using them (though technically illegal, these are very common in the countryside). Roadside services are far-flung in the countryside, so ensure you are prepared if your vehicle breaks down.
- Laoag-Tuguegarao: GMW Transport (whole leg), G.V. Florida Transport (Laoag-Pagudpud leg)
- Tuguegarao-Manila: Victory Liner
- Manila-Sorsogon (Matnog port): Multiple competing operators, but for a complete trip on this leg, there are Philtranco (from Pasay), DLTB (from Buendia or Cubao) Silver Star (from Cubao, Buendia or San Pedro), and Elavil (from Pasay). You may need to transfer to city buses, taxis or jeepneys to transfer to another bus terminal in Manila, unless you arrive in Cubao, but a transfer involving using the local public transit is always needed once the centralized bus terminals are fully operational in Valenzuela, Parañaque, and Santa Rosa (in Laguna).
- Samar (Allen port)-Leyte (San Ricardo port): Philtranco, DLTB, or Silver Star (continuing from Luzon)
- Tacloban-Ormoc: Philtranco or DLTB. There are UV Express minivans from Tacloban.
- Surigao-Davao: Philtranco (continuing from Luzon, Samar and Leyte), Bachelor Transport
- Davao-General Santos: Yellow Bus Lines, Mindanao Star
- General Santos-Cotabato: Husky Transport (via Tacurong and Isulan). For a trip that stays on AH26 through this leg, take Yellow Bus Lines or Mindanao Star to Koronadal, transfer to Yellow Bus Lines to Surallah, and a UV Express to Isulan where you can ride the Husky bus to Cotabato.
- Cotabato-Pagadian: no buses, but there are infrequent UV Express
- Pagadian-Zamboanga: Rural Transit
The highway is a more easterly route through Luzon, Samar and Leyte, and Mindanao. It takes over 45 hours to complete driving the route, if you do not stop for food or rest, or longer if travelling by bus. Conditions on the highway vary, from wide tolled expressways and avenues in Metro Manila and suburbs, to narrow meandering two-lane highways through the middle of small villages and towns.
It is unrealistic to drive for over a day without allowing any time for sightseeing and food dining, and it is also easy to underestimate travel times. Rainy weather and typhoons can hamper trips if you travel during the monsoon season. Except for mountain passes or sections through rainforest, almost the entire route passes through barangays (small villages), so watch out for people crossing or tricycles using them (though technically illegal, these are very common in the countryside). Roadside services are far-flung in the countryside, so ensure you are prepared if your vehicle breaks down.
Get in
The trip can be started anywhere in the Philippines, either from Luzon or the Mindanao side.
The northern terminus, Laoag, has flights from Manila on Cebu Pacific and PAL Express, and daily bus trips from Manila or Baguio. By road, Manila North Road as Route 2 leads into Laoag.
Manila has the main airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and the central hub for buses from most of the Philippines.
Zamboanga City has flights from Manila or Cebu on Cebu Pacific, Cebgo and PAL Express, and there are buses from Cagayan de Oro.
It is also possible to start the trip at:
The northern terminus, Laoag, has flights from Manila on Cebu Pacific and PAL Express, and daily bus trips from Manila or Baguio. By road, Manila North Road as Route 2 leads into Laoag.
Manila has the main airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and the central hub for buses from most of the Philippines.
Zamboanga City has flights from Manila or Cebu on Cebu Pacific, Cebgo and PAL Express, and there are buses from Cagayan de Oro.
It is also possible to start the trip at:
- Cebu City - Indirectly connected to Ormoc by ferry, it has the second most important airport at Mactan, with both international and domestic flights, and the busiest seaport in the Philippines with ferries to Ormoc. By car, you can drive to Ormoc via the Daanbantayan (Maya) RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) terminal.
- Davao City - There are international and domestic flights to Francisco Bangoy International Airport.
Go
Ilocos
is the northern terminus of the highway, but not the northernmost point of the highway system. It is served by daily flights and multiple buses from Manila or Baguio.Head north to , a town of about 32,000, and has a "headless" church belfry and , a municipality of about 29,000 with a salt-making village, some beaches, and other outdoor activities. AH26 turns east at , which has a Spanish-era lighthouse, rocky cliffs and a wind farm. Head east to and , whose coastlines are windy and have wind farms producing electricity, also attractions on their own. East of Pagudpud town proper, AH26 runs at the edge of the Luzon Cordillera and follows a scenic route through the coast; the most scenic section being on the which rises above the coast.