The Maharlika Highway or Pan-Philippine Highway is the longest highway in the Philippines. The network of roads, bridges and ferry routes connect the major islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. It has been the country’s principal transport backbone for travel, trade and commerce since its inception in 1965. The entire highway is designated as Asian Highway 26 (AH26) of the Asian Highway Network, a cooperative project which seeks to improve road systems and standards across the continent.

I have long been fascinated by the idea of traversing the country on my old motorcycle. I started my month-long journey on the day COVID-19 travel restrictions were eased across the border checkpoints, covering a distance of 4000 kilometers across 37 provinces.

This photo-essay documents the environment of a country in transition and uncertainty : one emerging from a long pandemic lockdown, amid skyrocketing fuel prices and on the last weeks of a national election. All images are taken on brief transitory stops for gas, food, rest and roadside repairs - all encountered by chance and necessity rather than by design.