An old illuminated street sign of Osmeña Highway in Manila
President Sergio Osmeña Sr. Highway (Osmeña Highway) is named after Sergio Osmeña, the fourth President of the Philippines. Since 1989, its name has also been alternatively applied to South Luzon Expressway's section from Magallanes Interchange to kilometer 28.387 in San Pedro, Laguna.[3] It was also used further south in Laguna up to Calamba until 1992 when this segment was renamed after Dr. José Rizal by virtue of Republic Act No. 7625.[3]
South Superhighway is the older name of the highway and is currently more widely used alternatively. It is also the alternative name of the tolled South Luzon Expressway. It was also known as and forms part of Manila South Diversion Road or simply South Diversion Road.[4][5]
Route description
Osmeña Highway (pictured in 2013) facing towards Manila, with the Buendia Flyover in the foreground, taken prior to the construction of Skyway Stage 3
Osmeña Highway's intersection with Arnaiz Avenue in Makati, underneath Skyway and its Amorsolo Exit
The entire highway is classified as a national secondary road. It is maintained by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) through the South Manila District Engineering Office and Metro Manila 2nd District Engineering Office in Manila and Makati, respectively.[11][12] The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) also has jurisdiction over both the tolled and non-tolled segments and maintains motorcycle lanes up to Sales Interchange (Nichols).[13][14] It also handles traffic management alongside the local governments of Manila and Makati.[15]
Apparently, Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation (SOMCO), the operator of Skyway and a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation, wanted Osmeña Highway to be under its control, given that the highway runs below Skyway. SOMCO and SMC Tollways consider the highway's section from Buendia to Magallanes as part of Skyway At-Grade as it runs beneath Skyway Stage 1.[16][17] However, it was stated that SOMCO and Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation (now SMC Skyway Corporation), the concession holder of Skyway Stage 1, do not have jurisdiction over toll-free roads, including Osmeña Highway.[15]
History
The arch near the Makati–Manila boundary in 2014, prior to the construction of Skyway Stage 3
The highway was built from the 1950s to 1960s as part of the newer road connecting Manila and Southern Luzon, called Manila South Diversion Road (MSDR) or South Superhighway.[18][19][20] It was built parallel to the Philippine National Railway's Batangas extension line and over the old Hernandez Street in San Andres, Manila.[21] The flyover that crosses above Buendia Avenue, formerly known as the Buendia-MSDR Overpass Project,[22] was built in 1979.[1]
The highway was renamed in 1989 to President Sergio Osmeña Sr. Highway by virtue of Republic Act No. 6760.[2] The center island of Osmeña Highway's section from Zobel Roxas to EDSA underwent repairs by the then-municipal government of Makati in 1994.[23] The highway was also involved in the construction of Skyway Stage 1, built above its section south of Buendia, from 1995 to 1998. The Osmeña Flyover underwent repairs in 2011.[7] The highway would once again become involved in another Skyway construction, this time Skyway Stage 3, built above its section north of Buendia as Stage 1's continuation, which commenced in 2014. With this, the Makati–Manila boundary marker on the highway was demolished in November 2014.[24]
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