CAMARINES Sur 3rd District Rep. Nelson Legacion has issued an urgent warning over the rapidly deteriorating condition of major highways in the Bicol Region, saying the worsening state of the road network threatens to trigger a “national economic crisis.”
Legacion said the collapse of long-neglected road corridors, particularly the Rolando Andaya Highway and key sections of Quezon’s Pagbilao to Calauag route, is now crippling supply chains, tourism, transport mobility and public safety throughout Southern Luzon and the rest of the country.
To underscore the seriousness of the crisis, Legacion shared his own experience earlier this week when he boarded a bus in Cubao at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday hoping to catch his early morning meetings in Naga City. What used to be an eight to ten hour journey stretched to 12.5 hours. He reached Naga at around 9.30 a.m. the following day.
“That is not normal,” he said. “A lawmaker, a student, a farmer, a trader, an ambulance driver, a tourist, all of us endure the same suffering. And this is happening not once or twice but every single day.”
According to the lawmaker, years of repeated repairs and billions in infrastructure budgets have done little to improve the region’s travel conditions. Instead, long-standing issues of substandard construction, poor drainage, weak slope protection and unverified or incomplete repairs continue to surface, causing public frustration and putting commuters at risk.
Choked Corridors
Legacion said the Andaya Highway, a 92 kilometer corridor intended to serve as Bicol’s main link to Metro Manila, has become a chronic bottleneck marked by potholes, eroded shoulders, unlit stretches and road cuts that worsen during the rainy season. He warned that travel times of 15 to 20 hours during peak months have become increasingly common, sharply raising fuel costs and freight charges for agricultural producers and logistics operators.
“These delays inflate transport expenses, weaken competitiveness and ultimately push prices higher for consumers in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces,” he said. “Perishable goods spoil before reaching central markets. This is an economic crisis hiding in plain sight.”
He added that unpredictable travel times are also eroding Bicol’s tourism prospects. The region, known for world-class attractions, continues to lose visitors who fear prolonged traffic immobilisations.
Safety and Flooding Concerns
Beyond inconvenience, Legacion said the road crisis poses growing humanitarian and safety risks. Sudden pavement breaks, stalled trucks, unmarked repairs and dark, winding sections have led to accidents and property damage.
Flooding remains another persistent problem. Citing data from advocacy groups, Legacion noted that Camarines Sur received ₱133 billion in regional infrastructure allocations over six years, including ₱4.36 billion for flood-control projects from 2023 to 2024, yet communities continue to be inundated during heavy rains.
He added that a significant portion of the most damaged and repeatedly repaired road segments fall within districts long represented by the Villafuerte family, whose four decades in power have coincided with rising provincial revenues but persistent complaints over infrastructure quality.
Call for Accountability
Legacion questioned the disparities in national infrastructure funding. For 2025, the Andaya Highway received far less than the ₱1.766 billion allocated to Camarines Norte’s segment of the Maharlika Highway. The following year, proposed funding again remained smaller than the ₱2.118 billion earmarked for Camarines Norte.
He urged Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, House Public Works chair Rep. Romeo Momo Sr. and Senate Public Works chair Sen. Mark Villar to personally ride a Manila to Bicol bus and witness firsthand the hardship endured by commuters.
House Probe Sought
Legacion said he will file a resolution directing the House Committees on Public Works, Transportation and Bicol Affairs to conduct a full investigation into the recurring congestion, deterioration and insufficient capacity of the Andaya Highway.
“We must end the suffering on our roads,” he said. “A single poorly maintained segment between Quezon and Sorsogon can hold the entire national flow hostage. Completing the Road to Bicol Development is not just regional development. It is national development.”
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