The Philippines has nearly 200,000 kilometers (km) of roads. The Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) is responsible for 28,000 km, or 14 percent, which are national roads and provide the main trunkline system connecting the major population centers and linking provinces. The remaining 172,000 km are designated as local roads; since the enactment of the Local Government Code in 1991, these are categorized as provincial (28,000 km), city (6,000 km), municipal (16,000 km), and barangay (village) roads (122,000 km), and are
under the jurisdiction of local government units3 (LGUs). Provincial roads provide the secondary network within provinces, interconnecting municipalities and linking them to national roads and other public transport facilities (public wharfs, railway stations, and ports). City and municipal networks are in the urban areas of cities and in the center of municipalities, while the extensive barangay network links farms to markets. Paved roads represent 20 percent of provincial roads,
70 percent of city roads, 34 percent of municipal roads, and only 7 percent of barangay roads. About 33 percent of the local roads have an earth surface and are highly vulnerable to bad weather conditions. The national and local networks are generally adequate in extent, but many roads are in poor condition because of deficiencies in design and construction, inadequate maintenance, and damage from overloaded vehicles.
