Economy, Transportation

Despite the difficult terrain, the Philippines has an extensive road system; however, only about 21 percent of roads are paved. The Pan-Philippine Highway, also called the Maharlika Highway, is a system of roads, bridges, and ferries that connects the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. The rail system, concentrated on Luzon, is limited. A light-rail transit system known as Metrorail was opened in Manila in 1985 to help reduce traffic congestion. The national air carrier is Philippine Airlines (PAL). The country’s international airports are Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan International Airport near the city of Cebu. Subic Bay International Airport, near Manila, serves international commercial flights as well as domestic passenger flights. The country has many seaports, the busiest at Manila, Davao, Cebu, Iloilo, and Zamboanga.