For the purpose of classifying and establishing the limits of public roads and fixing the responsibility for the proper maintenance of the roads built or to be built, and upon recommendation of the National Transportation Board created by Executive Order No. 45, dated July 6, 1936, I, Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Philippines, do hereby establish the following classification of roads:

I. NATIONAL ROADS:

All roads now classified as insular roads; main traffic routes connecting provincial capitals with important commercial centers, national airports, national seaports, and national parks and roads of military importance, which may be so designated by the President upon favorable recommendation of the Secretary of Public Works and Communications. National roads shall have a right-of-way of not less than twenty (20) meters; provided 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.

II. PROVINCIAL ROADS

All roads connecting one municipality with another municipality, the termini to be the public plazas; all roads extending from a municipality, or from a provincial or national road to a public wharf or railway station; and any other road which may be so designated by the Secretary of Public Works and Communications upon the request of the Provincial Board concerned and upon favorable recommendation of the Director of Public Works. Provincial roads shall have a right-of-way of not less than fifteen (15) meters provided that a right-of-way of at least sixty (60) meters shall be reserved for roads constructed thereof unpatented public land.

III. MUNICIPAL ROADS:

All highways not included in the above classifications. Municipal roads shall have a right-of-way of not less than ten (10) meters; provided that the principal streets of townsites located on public land shall have a width of sixty (60) meters and all other streets a width of not less than fifteen (15) meters.

See Table in MOP, Bk 3, v4, 245


(a) The construction, maintenance and improvement of national roads shall be accomplished by district and city engineers under the supervision of the Director of Public Works, and shall be financed from such appropriations as may be authorized by the Commonwealth Government in annual or special appropriation acts. The Secretary of Public Works and Communications shall also allot all funds collected under the provisions of section 1495 of the Revised Administrative Code and Act No. 3992, as amended, with the exception of the twenty (20) per centum of said funds that accrue to the road and bridge funds of provinces and chartered cities, for the maintenance and improvement of national roads and whenever practicable or funds are not needed for maintenance purposes, for their construction.

(b) The construction, maintenance and improvement of provincial roads shall be accomplished by district engineers under the supervision of the Director of Public Works subject to existing laws, and shall be financed with provincial funds and such aid as may be authorized by the Commonwealth Government in annual appropriation acts.

(c) The construction, maintenance and improvement of municipal roads shall be accomplished by the Municipal Government concerned subject to existing laws, and shall be financed with municipal funds: Provided, however, That any municipal roads of great importance to the province may, on request of Provincial Board and upon favorable recommendation of the Director of Public Works, be classified as a provincial road by the Secretary of Public Works and Communications.

(d) The Secretary of Public Works and Communications shall cause the Director of Public Works to prepare from time to time a map showing the proposed system of national and provincial roads, which, upon approval by the President, shall constitute the Official Road Map of the Philippines.

(e) Executive Order No. 135, dated December 31, 1937 as amended by Executive Order No. 194, dated March 13 1939, Executive Order No. 239, dated December 16, 1939, and Executive Order No. 286, dated July 9, 1940, is hereby further revised accordingly.
This Order shall take effect as of October 1, 1940.

Done at the City of Manila, this 17th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the sixth.


By the President:

(Sgd.) JORGE B. VARGAS
Secretary to the President