Road Widening of Daang Maharlika

INTRODUCTION
Philippine transportation in the early years of 1900 is depending largely on trails, waterways, earth roads, rail roads and partialy graveled roads. Proper roads or highways in those times were merely a dream for Filipinos. The development of roadways in our country was merely initiated by the time that the Americans stayed in our mother land. The popular Macadam road type which originated from England was merely intruduced. Later-on gained wide acceptance because of the abundant supply of stones and gravel. After World War II, the rehabilitation, construction and beautification of roads and briges were continued by the new independent Philippine government. They money paid the Japannese government for the war damages and as well as reperations. Other were grants from the government of the United States of America.

After almost five decayes, highways and expressways were constructed through the help of foreign banks, who approved loans and financial assistance. As a result of improvement in the roadways the vehicles of different types started to flood the roadways. The LTO reviled that there are about eighty thousand (80000) new vehicles were added in their list every year. By this tremendous rising of vehicle occuping and using the roadways, the government along side with other agencies, decided to makean improvement started to name the national road as the “Pan-Philippines Road” or some call it “National Road of the Philippines” and now ist name is “Daang Maharlika Road”. It connects Laoag City in Luzon with Zamboanga City in Mindanao. It has a total length of 3,517 km (2,185mi).

Later on the government realized that there is need for the national road to be widen in order to accommodate the still increasing vehicle and also to ensure the sefety and fast and smooth travel of the motorist. On 18th day of September in the City of Manila, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines amended the Executive Order No. 113, as appearing in the last sentence of paragraph I, General Provisions, page 1, about the right-of-way of national road, as stated below; “National roads shall have a right of way of not less than twenty (20) meters, provided, that such minimum width may be reduced at the discretion of the Minister of Public Highways to fifteen (15) meters in highly urbanized areas and that a right of way of at least sixty (60) meters shall be reserved for roads constructed through unpatented public land and at least one hundred twenty (120) meters reserved through naturally forested areas of aesthetic or scientific value.”

This indicate that there should not be any infrustructure along the ROW to ensure the proer utilization of national road, so as the government agencies decided to eradicate the infrustructure along the Daang Maharlika. This project is named as the Road Widening Program, this invoved cutting of millions of trees and removing any infrustructure along the road that is bonded by rigth-of-way. To some people, this project will bring progress to any city or municiplity, but to some, it will only bring desruption of the environment. This study will focus on discovering the impact of Road Widening Program on the environmental and in the economical stability of Naga City, Philippines, and how this project will affect the balance in the environment and in the improvement in the economy of Naga City.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study focuses on attemting to know the importance of road widening and the possible impact on environment and economical stability of Naga City, specialy on the affected areas namely Mabulo to Concepcion Pequeña Naga City

1.) What is road widening?
2.) What are the barangays affected by road widening?
3.) To assess the environmental impacts of road widening
a. in the Ecosystem of Naga City
b. in the Topography of Naga City
c. to the balance of environment
4.) To assess the impacts on the economical stability of Naga City
a. Private Sectors
b. Government Sectors
c. On Tourism
5.) To assess the awareness of public, specialy on the people along the affected areas.

ASSUMPTIONS
This study will be the key on understanding the importance of road widening specialy in the growing city like Naga and further more to understand the following aspects:
1.) It’s impact in the environment of Naga City.
2.) It’s impact on the economical stability of Naga City.
3.) On the awareness of the public.
HYPOTHESES
The researcher anchored this study on the following hypotheses:
1.) That the road widenig in Naga City will have a possible impact on the environment but this impact will not affect the balance of ecosystem either destroy the current environmental state of Naga.

2.) That this study will show that rod widening will make a remarkable improvement in the business industry and further more, it will open new opportunities for the private and government sectors to expand there businesses.

3.) That this study will make the public aware and understand the importance of widening the roads within Naga City.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The sudy will greatly benefit nd provide important information to the following organizations and public and government agencies:
1.) The Academic Community
This study will be a usefull source of information that will help the teachers, students and heads of school and department to educate students and co-workers in the impact of the road widening in the environment and on the economic status of Naga City. It will also serve as a good medium of topic in the lessons concerning environment and economy.
2.) The Government and Private Sectors and Agencies

This study will contribute on the part of gavernment gencies and private sectors that have a link or related to the field of engineering like the office of Public Works And Highways (DPWH) and in the Local Government Unit of Naga City that is responsible in the said project. This study will also be a good information feeder in the part of private sectors, to further realize the potential of Naga when the project takes place.

SCOPE AND DELIMITAION OF THE STUDY
This study is dounded in Naga City road widening programme of DPWH.