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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City
TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.” 1967

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Province of Bataan is positioned to be a major urban center within the
country. With rapid urbanization in the locality as well as several major projects and
initiatives in the pipeline, an influx of economic activity is expected in the coming years.

One of the major anticipated projects is the Bataan-Cavite Interlink bridge
(BCIB). The BCIB will connect NCR, Region Ill, and Region IV-A, localities that serve
as major engines of growth in Luzon. This will effectively link the major industrial areas
North and South of Manila. This will cater to approximately 42.3 million people and a
combined GDP of roughly $206B.

The projected influx of economic activity into the Province of Bataan necessitates
the development of complementary infrastructure that will meet the needs of both locals
and visitors to the locality. This will entail the upgrading of existing infrastructure and
the development of new facilities to cater to the needs of the growing local economy.
The Roman Superhighway, the Province’s major national road, is one such facility that
will need further development and strengthening.

With the development of the BCIB, Roman Superhighway will be servicing not
just the Province of Bataan, but all other areas that will be connected to the locality.
Given this, its conversion and maintenance as an all-weather road that will be able to
maintain usability under higher vehicular load and evolving climate conditions is
necessary.

‘Support of this bill is earnestly requested from my colleagues.

MARIA ELA S. GARCIA.
T District, Bataan


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City
TWENTIETH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Maria Angela S. Garcia

AN ACT MANDATING THE FULL CONVERSION AND MAINTENANCE OF ROMAN
SUPERHIGHWAY IN THE PROVINCE OF BATAAN AS AN ALL-WEATHER ROAD

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall undertake
the full rehabilitation and upgrading as an all-weather road of the Roman Superhighway
in the Province of Bataan stretching from the Municipality of Dinalupihan to the
Municipality of Mariveles. Thereafter, the DPWH shall be responsible for the
maintenance of Roman Superhighway and shall ensure that it remains safe and
optimally serviceable.

SEC. 2. The DPWH, in coordination with the Region Ill Regional Office of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Provincial
Government of Bataan, shall evaluate and assess the current condition of Roman
Superhighway to identify the necessary engineering works to be undertaken for the
upgrading of the said road. Relative thereto, a feasibility study shall be conducted by
the DPWH to primarily plan the extent and duration of the full rehabilitation, upgrading
and maintenance of the Roman Superhighway into an all-weather road.

SEC. 3. As a fully rehabilitated and upgraded all-weather road, the Roman
‘Superhighway shall have the following characteristics:

a) Maintains trafficability by vehicles under all types of weather conditions including
torrential rains and flooding;
b) The capacity to maintain optimal trafficability even with high vehicular load


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SEC 4. Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DPWH, the DENR, in
consultation with the Provincial Government of Bataan, private sector experts and other
stakeholders shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the proper and
effective implementation of this Act. In formulating the said rules and regulations, the
characteristics indicated in Section 3 of this Act shall be further defined in consideration
of local environmental conditions.

SEC. 5. The amount necessary to cover the rehabilitation, upgrading and maintenance
and of Roman Superhighway and its corresponding feasibility study and detailed
engineering works shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. Funding
may likewise be sourced from public-private partnerships (PPP), grants, loans, official
development assistance (ODA) and other sources not otherwise prohibited by law.

SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.