New Functional Classification Criteria

1 Background

The first comprehensive reference to a road classification system in the Philippines is found in
Republic Act No. 917, known as the PHILIPPINE HIGHWAY ACT, enacted in 1953 and
Executive Order (EO) No. 113, Series of 1955, which became effective on January 1, 1955,
ESTABLISHING THE CLASSIFICATION OF ROADS. EO No. 113 classified the roads into
national primary and national secondary classes, as well as delineating so-called “national aid”
provincial and city roads of sufficient importance for eventual re-classification at a later stage.

Executive Order No. 124, Series of 1987, stipulates that the Minister (now Secretary) of the
Ministry (now Department) of Public Works and Highways shall have the power to “Classify roads
and highways into national, regional (interpreted as: routes of primary arterial roads), provincial,
city, municipal, and barangay roads and highways, based on objective criteria it shall adopt;
provide or authorize the conversion of roads and highways from one category to another”.

The classification system in EO No. 113 was administrative in nature and resulted in a national
primary and national secondary road system (16,175 km) and intended “national aid” provincial
and city roads (2,823 km), totaling 18,998 km, throughout the archipelago. However, out of the
designated “national aid” provincial and city roads only 1,595 km had been re-classified to national
status as of December 20, 2005; thus bringing the actual total of National Roads to 17,771 km or
short of 1,227 km in the original total in EO No. 113. Thus, the original national system of 17,771
km with amendments (about 10,900 km approved by Congress from time to time from 1955 up to
now) adds up to 28,664 km (excluding 407 km in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM)), as we know it today. These National Roads (i) connected provincial capitals and other
major urban areas of the country; or (ii) and/or were continuous in extent and formed part of the
main trunk-line system of the country; and/or led to national ports and national airports.

EO No. 113 also laid down the following additional criteria for classification of National Roads
and criteria for re-classification from local roads to National Roads:

1. National Roads shall have a right-of-way of not less than 20 meters, provided that a right-
of-way of at least 60 meters shall be reserved for roads constructed through untitled public
land.

2. For re-classification of local roads, EO No.113 implies that proof of acquisition of the
required road right-of-way shall be provided to the Department (such as Deed of Donation
or Sale duly notarized and indicating the lot number and area acquired, and Real Property
Tax Declaration Number and/or Certification from the concerned Provincial Registry of
Deeds and/or DENR in case of forested land).
 3. The National Roads forming the secondary trunk-line system shall exclude “feeder roads”,
defined as roads branching off the trunk-line system and not being in line with the
provisions in the second paragraph on this page.

4. Any local road proposed for conversion shall meet the original criteria for classification
of National Roads as described in the second paragraph on this page. This requires that a
proposal shall be accompanied by: (i) an endorsement by the Provincial and/or Municipal
Board to the Secretary of Public Works and Communications (now the Department of
Public Works and Highways (DPWH)); and (ii) a location map indicating kilometer
stations at the start and end of the passable road and its relation to other road networks in
the area.

5. The Secretary of the DPWH shall declare re-classification of local roads to National Roads
(reinforced by EO No. 124).

Since the 1970s numerous studies have been carried out on Philippine road classification. The
Philippines Road Classification Study (PRCS) funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
and executed in 1991-1993, highlighted that the existing classification of roads in Philippines is
for administrative rather than functional purposes. It reflects policy to assign responsibility for
specific roads based on source of funding, minimum qualifying design standards, or official
requests from varying levels of government.

Over the years, without specific criteria to guide highway planners, roads have been assigned to
inappropriate classifications. Also, over time, the function of many roads has changed, but the
roads have never been re-classified.

Functional classification is paramount for long-term planning and strategic prioritization in view
of anticipated limited resources, particularly public funds. The essence of functional classification
is that it concentrates on the purpose of the road in a strategic and interregional sense rather than
its use in terms of traffic related to geometric features. Earlier criteria for selecting National Roads
merely stated that they should connect centers of national importance, regional and provincial
capitals (there are no officially recognized regional capitals). Such selection criteria are considered
much too broad and at the same time ambiguous. Therefore, objective classification criteria are
called for. These criteria must be (i) rational, (ii) consistent over the entire road network, and (iii)
stable over a number of years to demonstrate the criteria’s longevity.

The new planning process being implemented and institutionalized in the DPWH gives fresh
impetus to take a new look at the road network classification issues. The National Road network
has increased from 16,175 km in 1955, plus 1,595 km of re-classified “national aid” roads, to
28,664 km today. An analysis of this increase in a functional context shows that the original 17,771
km of National Roads, including later re-classification of “national aid” roads, are still the basic
backbone network today and almost anything added to that network from 1955 to the present time
is not within any criteria stipulating the boundaries of true National Roads. According to the
DPWH electronic road data repository there are National Roads without surface type (tracks or
trails or non-existing) and without any national function since they are short (a few km) and leading
off the main National Road to scarcely populated villages; these cases should not have been
registered under National Roads but should have remained as local roads.

The new classification criteria should (i) reflect the level of service appropriate to the function, (ii)
contribute to needs-based allocation of scarce resources, (iii) enhance the planning processes, and
(iv) ensure that resources for asset preservation and network development projects are more
equitably distributed. The latter aspects would also necessitate continuous inventory updating and
re-classification of roads through areas served by new diversion roads, where the current de facto
practice has been to keep the “old road” at the higher level of the road hierarchy and the new road
at a medium level.

The road classification goals are established to ensure that (i) the concept is clearly understood,
acceptable and implementable by both Local and National Government Units, (ii) they are easily
adaptable to future amendments in the functionality of the road network, (iii) the road authorities
have clearly defined responsibilities, (iv) they take into account the effect of resource allocations,
and (v) the proposed criteria are tested through a pilot study. In 2003, a limited pilot study with
plotting of roads on maps (see sample under Chapter 3) according to the new criteria was carried
out in Batangas Province. That study showed that the new re-classification criteria were
appropriate and objective as shown in the resulting mapping of the roads, which gave due
consideration to location of important national infrastructure and tourist service centers while at
the same time assigning local roads to their correct function.

According to the Rural Roads Policy Development Framework Project of June 2003 (financed by
ADB) and DPWH statistics as of October 24, 2005, the Philippines Road Network constitutes
about 200,000 km, of which 28,664 km are National Roads, excluding those in the Autonomous
Region of Muslim Mindanao (407 km), and about 172,000 km local roads, of which Barangay or
village roads are 122,000 km (71 % of the total local road length). In any road classification
exercise utmost attention must be paid to the Local Government Code and the stipulations in the
DPWH Design Guidelines, Criteria and Standards, Volumes I and II, 1st Edition 1984 (also called
the Red Book).

The DPWH resumed work in late 2002 on devising new classification criteria that define the
function or purpose of each road (and bridge) in the Philippines. This methodology would provide
road planners with a standardized rational approach when assigning roads to a particular
administrative agency. Roads would be grouped into classes, or systems, according to the principal
type of service they provide and more appropriate funding mechanisms for road transport, as a
whole would be adopted.

It should also be kept in mind that the mere re-classification of a local road does not guarantee an
upgrading to a higher improvement level in times of severe budget constraints on the part of the
National Government. Thus, all National Roads, including planned roads such as diversion roads
and completion of “missing” links, will undergo a prioritization exercise, where the outcome is
determined upon economic viability, including traffic volumes and road and bridge condition
values, among others, in a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA). MCA allocates scores to three main
criteria: (i) project preparedness, economic evaluation (30 percent of total score only), and
environmental and social impact; (ii) road classification and strategic network analysis; and (iii)
social development criteria (State of the Nation Address [SONA] goals). According to these
criteria it is not worth the effort to propose re-classification of a local road with little traffic and
bad condition unless a feasibility study can justify improvement based on forecast traffic.

2 Recent Work on Re-Classification

In 1998, the Department formed a Technical Working Group to re-classify the Philippines Road
Network based on the 1991-1993 PRCS study. Presentations and discussions were held with
Provincial, Municipal and City Engineers’ associations across the country. However, feedback
suggested that the proposed criteria were complex and difficult to apply in the field, and that they
could not be sustained without appropriate institutional reform.

In late 2002, with renewed impetus for reform and with the on-going Rural Roads Policy
Development Framework Project in the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG),
DPWH re-established a Technical Working Group (TWG) for Road Classification. This comprised
key staff in the DPWH Planning Service, representatives from DILG’s Office of Project
Development Services, including staff from the Rural Roads Policy Development Framework
Project. A series of workshops and meetings was held in the TWG, also involving staff from the
Departments of Tourism, Transportation and Communications as well as officers from the
Provincial Engineers’ Association of the Philippines (PEAP) and the Municipal Engineers’
Association of the Philippines (MEAP), when appropriate.

This working group produced draft definitions and criteria for a new Functional Classification for
all roads in the Philippines. All members of the TWG have, in principle, agreed on these definitions
and criteria as shown below. This was confirmed when the TWG resumed meetings on June 16,
2004. At that meeting a Board Member (Re-classification Issues) of PEAP assured that he would
advocate the new classification concept to LGUs during June-August 2004 and report back after
the PEAP Consultative Workshop on Road Classification held on August 5, 2004 in Talisay City,
Negros Occidental. The response of PEAP dated September 3, 2004 as approved by its President
follows:

“Case 1: The LGUs may accept the National Roads (designated as all-weather roads) provided
that the allocated budget for maintenance of said National Roads will be transferred to the LGUs.
Currently, most LGUs are having a hard time maintaining their current provincial roads due to
insufficient funds especially now that the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) maybe further
reduced; Case 2: For National Roads which are not classified as all-weather roads yet, and where
LGUs will have to spend their own resources to maintain them, turn-over should be deferred until
such time when the said roads are classified as all-weather roads; Case 3: If the transfer of National
Roads to LGUs is really inevitable the Road Right of Ways of these roads should be settled before
the transfer. Case 4: LGUs would request to defer any transfer of roads to the LGUs until there is
no longer a fiscal crisis since the resources of the LGUs for the maintenance of the roads would
be affected as we have mentioned in Case 1.”
3 New Classification Criteria

The Table below illustrates the result of the very detailed deliberations over four years.
National Roads
Primary Arterial - Connects Major Cities (at least around 100,000 people in Year 2000)*
* Cities within Metropolitan Areas are not covered by the criteria.
Secondary Arterial - Connects Cities to Primary Arterial Roads, except in Metropolitan Areas
- Connects Major Ports and Ferry Terminals to Primary Arterial Roads
- Connects Major Airports to Primary Arterial Roads
- Connects Tourist Service Centers to Primary Arterial Roads or other Secondary
Arterial Roads
- Connects Cities (not included in the category of Major Cities) in Appendix A
- Connects Provincial Capitals within the same Region
- Connects Major National Government Infrastructure to Primary Arterial Roads or
other Secondary Arterial Roads

Provincial Roads (Local Roads)

- Connect Cities and Municipalities without traversing National Roads
- Connect National Roads to Barangays through rural areas
- Connect to Major Provincial Government Infrastructure

Municipal and City Roads (Local Roads)

- Roads within the Poblacion
- Roads that connect to Provincial and National Roads
- Roads that provide Inter-Barangay connections to Major Municipal and
City Infrastructure without traversing Provincial Roads

Barangay Roads (Local Roads)

- Other Public Roads (officially turned over) within the Barangay and not
covered in the above definitions

Expressways
- Highways with limited access, normally with interchanges; may include
facilities for levying tolls for passage in an open or closed system

Toll Roads
-Roads where a toll for passage is levied in an open or closed system

Notes to the New Classification Criteria (in the order as they appear in the table above)

A Major City is defined as having a population in Year 2000 of at least around 100,000 (see
listing of all cities in Appendix A, which shows that there were 63 cities in Year 2000 with that
population size). They are forms of government headed by a City Mayor and with a population
higher than municipalities. The cities also include Barangays within their jurisdiction.

A Province is defined in accordance with Legislation and administered in conformity with the
Local Government Code (1991).

A Provincial Capital is usually the seat of the provincial government.

Cities are other forms of government headed by City Mayors — with a population level higher
than municipalities but with less than 100,000 people in Year 2000. These cities are administered
in conformity with the Local Government Code (1991) and also include Barangays within their
jurisdiction.

Metropolitan Areas are Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao Cities, which include cities or contiguous
municipalities and districts meeting the criteria for metropolitan integration.1

Major Ports are the 24 base ports managed by the Philippine Ports Authority or the Cebu Port
Authority. Listing of the major ports as defined by the Department of Transport and
Communications is in Appendix B.

Major Ferry Terminals are composed of 36 locations. Listing of the major ferry terminals as
defined by the Department of Transportation and Communications is in Appendix B.

Major Airports are the 25 airports with international or scheduled domestic commercial flights
carrying international and domestic traffic throughput (arrivals and departures) of at least 20,000
passengers a year. The passenger traffic volumes are the estimated base flows of an economically
viable airport with facilities to accommodate the envisaged aircraft types. Currently four airports
are classified as international (NAIA, Subic, Clark and Mactan-Cebu) and four as alternate
international (Laoag, Zamboanga, Davao and Tambler [General Santos City]). Listing of the major
airports as defined by the Department of Transportation and Communications is in Appendix B.

Tourist Service Centers are staging areas for tourist destinations or spots. The Centers should
offer a variety of accommodation, restaurants, information centers, shopping and personal
services, airport or seaport or ferry terminal or land transport terminals, etc. The Centers should
also be strategically located and well integrated with an existing urbanized area such as a city or
town. Listing of the Tourist Service Centers (currently 80) as defined by the Department of
Tourism is in Appendix B.

Major National Government Infrastructure includes permanent military installations,2 national

prisons and special economic zones managed by the Government. The military installations serve
a national requirement or support function designated by the Department of National Defense.
National prisons and special economic zones are designated by the concerned National
Government agencies. Access roads to hydropower, water-impounding and irrigation dams and

1
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Area (SBMA) is not included under this definition.
2
This definition does not include camps, which are temporary in nature, and military and police training institutes.
Roads within the areas of Major National Government Infrastructure are not included as National Roads.
power plants and other related national infrastructure are the responsibility of the respective
organizations carrying out the operations (as also is the case in other countries). Once the schemes
are constructed, always including access roads, the maintenance becomes part of the plant
operation budget. Most of these schemes would be revenue generating.

A Municipality is an administrative unit governed by a Mayor and administered in accordance

with the Local Government Code (1991); it consists of Barangays within the municipal
jurisdiction.

A Barangay, the smallest administrative unit in the Philippines, is headed by a Punong Barangay
and consists of different smaller communities (sitios or villages).

Major Provincial, Municipal and City Government Infrastructure includes key Local
Government Unit (LGU) installations, including local municipal ports, prisons, city/town halls,
etc., managed by the respective LGUs.

Poblacion is the center of every municipality or city, where city/town hall, plaza, church, etc. are
usually located.

As of early 2005 there were 79 provinces, 115 cities and 1,495 municipalities in the country.

The criteria have been applied to the existing National Road Network as of March 2006 (the total
figure increases when local roads are classified as National Roads). The network includes roads in
the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao [ARMM]. The new national road classification
would replace the existing broad classification based on strategic and geographical criteria: North-
South Backbone Arterial National Roads, East-West Laterals Arterial National Roads, Other
Roads of Strategic Importance, and Secondary National Roads.

The results of this exercise indicate that 10,117 km of roads could be re-classified out of the
National Road Network and transferred to the Local Government network (see Table below).

It is interesting to note that the total length of the new proposed primary and secondary arterial
National Roads of 18,429 km (including the National Roads in ARMM) fairly closely matches the
17,771 km of National Primary and National Secondary Roads as stipulated in Executive Order
No. 113, Series of 1955 (see Chapter 1).

Proposed Reclassification of the Existing National Road Network

New Classification Length (Km)
Primary Arterial 5,872
Secondary Arterial 12,557
For Transfer to Local Governmenta 10,117
bc
Total 28,546
a
Including 1,673 km of existing urban National Roads .
b
Including 407 km under ARMM jurisdiction (35 km could be transferred to LGUs).
c
Slightly different from the official figure of 28,664 without ARMM data, particu-
larly due to lack of inventory data on some minor roads (118 km).
Some of the “Roads for Transfer to Local Government” fall within the jurisdiction of National
Government Offices. In this context it is proposed that the respective Offices take over the
management of the concerned roads or this responsibility is delegated to DPWH against a budget
provided by the respective Offices. The roads in question are for example on Corregidor Island,
around National Hospitals (e.g., the Philippine General Hospital in Manila City), Parks (e.g., Paco
Park in Manila City and PICC-FAT Road in Pasay City) and Sports Stadiums (e.g., Rizal Stadium
Parking Lot in Manila City), which should be under the Department of Tourism, Department of
Health and the Department of Education, respectively.

An early example of such a transfer is the Memorandum of Understanding dated August 30, 2004
between DPWH and Mandaue City in Cebu followed up by EO No. 427 of May 16, 2005 where
three National Road segments of 5.5 km were converted to city roads.

The main road passing straight through each of the cities is maintained as an arterial National Road
(even if bypasses/diversion roads exists) such as South Super Highway from the southern Luzon
to Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue (EDSA) at Magallanes and along EDSA to MacArthur
Highway in Metro Manila; from Marcos Highway/Kennon Rd. via Gov. Pack Rd. and Session Rd.
#1 and Leonard Wood Rd. in Baguio to eastern Benguet; from Cebu North Rd. to Cebu South Rd.
via Gen. Maxilom Rd. and N. Bacalso Ave. in Cebu, and through-city roads in Davao and Iloilo.

The advantages of the new classification are: (i) the LGUs will be mandated to look after all
secondary roads within their jurisdiction in accordance with the Government’s decentralization
policy, (ii) DPWH can better focus on the core road network and match mandate with available
funding, (iii) needs-based allocation of scarce resources, and (iv) budget are more equitably
distributed. LGUs would be fully responsible for maintenance and improvement of those local
roads. If the tax base is not sufficient, other alternatives should be considered, such as an
arrangement with a one-time compensation in the form of a lump sum for the initial funding
requirements from the National Government.

The 10,117 km of “transfer roads” are made up of 1,262 km (12.5%) with asphalt, 4,042 km
(40.0%) with concrete, 186 km (1.8%) with earth, 4,067 km (40.2%) with gravel, and 559 km
(5.5%) with unrecorded surface type. The so-called transfer roads cover 1,985 road sections, of
which 638 or 32 percent are located within the Metro Manila Metropolitan area.

Some limited inventory and mapping data is available for Provincial Roads dating back to 1992.
However no attempt has been made yet to identify the impact on the existing Provincial Road
Network. Therefore, it is proposed that the DPWH in understanding with DILG pursue the
legislation or any other appropriate instrument for National Roads only.

The breakdown of the roads proposed for transfer to LGUs is attached in Appendix C in summary
form for each of the Provinces and DPWH District Offices and in detail for Road Sections with
Road Name. The Primary and Secondary Arterial National Roads are also listed by Province and
DPWH District Office (a listing of the Island Codes used by DPWH is attached with the road lists).
In connection with this report, the DPWH has produced color maps (color coding for the new
classification by Primary Arterial [red], Secondary Arterial [blue] and existing National Roads
proposed to be transferred to LGUs [green]) for the country as a whole, each of the 16 Regions
and ten metropolitan areas/cities (see Chapter Error! Reference source not found.), the latter
comprising: Metro Manila, Bacolod, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, Iloilo,
Tacloban, and Zamboanga.

The DPWH carried out selected consultations with LGUs (provinces and cities), and DILG and
DPWH Regional Offices on the new road classification system in the following Regions:

 NCR (Manila City and Quezon City) on February 8, 2006 at DPWH Central Office;
 IV-A (Batangas Province and City, and District Engineering Offices) on February 10,
2006 at DPWH 2nd DEO, Batangas City;
 CAR (Benguet Province and Baguio City, and District Engineering Offices) on
February 14, 2006 at DPWH Regional Office, Baguio City;
 VI (Iloilo Province and City, and District Engineering Offices) on February 16, 2006
at DPWH Regional Office, Iloilo City;
 VIII (Leyte Province, Eastern, Northern and Western Samar Provinces, and Tacloban
and Calbayog Cities, and District Engineering Offices) on February 21, 2006 at DPWH
Regional Office, Tacloban City;
 X (Misamis Oriental Province and Cagayan del Oro City, and District Engineering
Offices) on February 28, 2006 at DPWH Regional Office, Cagayan de Oro City; and
 VII (Cebu Province and Cebu and Mandawe Cities, and District Engineering Offices)
on March 14, 2006 at DPWH Regional Office, Cebu City.
 NCR (Regional and District Engineering staff) on April 7, 2006 at the NCR Conference
Room.

The summary of these consultations is as follows:

 Generally positive attitude to changes regarding transfer of existing National Roads to

LGUs.
 It was recognized that DPWH is not in a budgetary position to fund roads with low
priority (low traffic volume and not following the functionality initially formulated in
EO No. 113 and EO No. 124, and in accordance with to the new planning process in
the Department).
 Such transfer should simultaneously be followed up with transfer of funds to needy
LGUs (provinces and cities) in a poor funding position regarding own revenue
generation; possibly through the Internal revenue Allocation system and/or the Road
Fund).
 Concerns on LGU manpower capability, particularly in maintenance skills and
equipment ownership (response from DPWH Team: use outsourcing of services
(eliminating need for equipment, which tends to deteriorate), and keep a lean staffing
with upgraded skills at the LGU offices). DILG should carry out a study to assess the
capability of LGUs to maintain roads.
 Concerns on the political process. Some participants believed that the transfer of roads
to LGUs would entail political prioritization of the maintenance and development road
projects, especially during election times.
 Roads to be transferred should be maintainable.
 Introduce a Moratorium to stop further up-classification of local roads.
  Joint committee of DPWH and DILG should be established to deal with LGUs
regarding the gradual transfer of mandate and resources.
 A number of District Engineers, particularly in NCR, voiced the opinion that because
of the so-called “Length Criteria” classification (National Road length per District
Engineering Office) their workforce at these offices would be reduced and even
abolished, and they would loose their jobs. DPWH Team response: various options are
open but normally in any re-engineering exercise the goal of streamlining the
organization goes ahead of more social concerns, which although not unimportant are
resolved through various compensation measures. Even in the current situation
rationalization efforts could be foreseen from time to time when the workload is shifted
and processes made more effective. The option immediately available, apart from
rotation within the Department and early retirement, would be transfer to the LGU
authority, since the road network composed of National Roads and Local Roads in a
specific geographical area would remain the same for years to come.
 Some participants were of the opinion that legislation would be required to legalize the
changes proposed in view of the fact that the roads concerned were originally approved
by Congress, while others, referring to the provisions of EO No. 113 and E.O. No. 124,
thought that these provisions would suffice.
 A number of LGUs argued that the proposed new criteria should not be applied to the
existing National Roads (freeze of current situation) but only to future proposals for
upgrading from local roads to National Roads.
 Some LGUs mentioned that the transfer, when approved, would require 5-10 years of
gradual implementation by provinces and cities. There should be agreement between
the LGU concerned and DPWH/DILG on the timing of the transfer. DPWH Team
response: generally agreed with the statement.

National Roads
Primary Arterial - Connects Major Cities (at least around 100,000 people in Year 2000)*
* Cities within Metropolitan Areas are not covered by the criteria.
Secondary Arterial - Connects Cities to Primary Arterial Roads, except in Metropolitan Areas
- Connects Major Ports and Ferry Terminals to Primary Arterial Roads
- Connects Major Airports to Primary Arterial Roads
- Connects Tourist Service Centers to Primary Arterial Roads or other Secondary
Arterial Roads
- Connects Cities (not included in the category of Major Cities) in Appendix A
- Connects Provincial Capitals within the same Region
- Connects Major National Government Infrastructure to Primary Arterial Roads
or other Secondary Arterial Roads
Provincial Roads (Local Roads)
- Connect Cities and Municipalities without traversing National Roads
- Connect National Roads to Barangays through rural areas
- Connect to Major Provincial Government Infrastructure
Municipal and City Roads (Local Roads)
- Roads within the Poblacion
- Roads that connect to Provincial and National Roads
 - Roads that provide Inter-Barangay connections to Major Municipal and
City Infrastructure without traversing Provincial Roads
Barangay Roads (Local Roads)
- Other Public Roads (officially turned over) within the Barangay and not
covered in the above definitions
Expressways
- Highways with limited access, normally with interchanges; may include
facilities for levying tolls for passage in an open or closed system
Toll Roads
-Roads where a toll for passage is levied in an open or closed system