N8 highway
National Route 8 (N8) is a 174-kilometer (108 mi) north-south major primary national route that forms part of the Philippine Highway Network in the province of Cebu. There are two highways that make up the road: the Cebu North Road and Natalio Bacalso Avenue (also known as the Cebu South Road). It runs from Danao to Santander.[1][2][3][4][5] The highway also forms part of the Philippine Nautical Highway System, particularly the Central Nautical Highway from Danao to Cebu City and Western Nautical Highway from Cebu City to Santander.
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![]() N8 as Natalio Bacalso Avenue/Cebu South Road (Osmeña Boulevard) in Cebu with the planned BRT line in the middle. | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) | ||||
Length | 174 km (108 mi) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
North end | ![]() | |||
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South end | ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | Philippines | |||
Provinces | Cebu | |||
Major cities | Danao, Mandaue, Cebu, Talisay, Naga, Carcar | |||
Towns | Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga, Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander | |||
Highway system | ||||
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History
The highways of N8 were possibly constructed during the American period. An example of this is Osmeña Boulevard and General Maxilom Avenue, one of the major roads of the city. It was made part of the greater Cebu South Road and Cebu North Road respectively. Around 2014-2017, national routes were added, two roads (Cebu North Road; Cebu City to Danao and Natalio Bacalso Avenue; Cebu City to Santander) assigned as National Route 8 (N8) by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Route description
Danao to Cebu
N8 begins at Cebu North Road at the route transitioning from N810 in Danao. It then passes the future terminus of the Metro Cebu Expressway. The route then traverses the towns of Compostela and Liloan, where it veers away from the eastern coast of Cebu towards Consolacion and Mandaue. In Mandaue, it is locally known as M.C. Briones Street and Lopez-Jaena Street. It then enters Cebu City, locally known as M.J. Cuenco Avenue.[6]
Cebu City
In Cebu City, the route turns northwest at a junction from M.J. Cuenco Avenue to General Maxilom Avenue. At the latter's western terminus at the Fuente Osmeña circle, the route then turns north and south, thus covering Osmeña Boulevard's section from the Cebu Provincial Capitol to Natalio Bacalso Avenue, where the route turns west at a junction with the latter and continues towards southern Cebu.
Cebu to Santander

The route continues as Natalio Bacalso Avenue, traversing Talisay, Minglanilla, Naga, San Fernando, Carcar (where the road continues around the Carcar City Circle), Sibonga, Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, and Santander.[1] In Santander, it terminates at its transition to N830.
Intersections
Intersections are numbered by kilometer posts, with Cebu Provincial Capitol in Cebu City designated as kilometer 0.
Region | Province | City/Municipality | km | mi | Destinations | Notes | |
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Central Visayas | Cebu | Danao | 33 | 21 | ![]() | Northern terminus from a route change. | |
32 | 20 | Metro Cebu Expressway | Under construction. Serves as a major metropolitan diversion route upon completion. | ||||
Liloan | 18 | 11 | ![]() | Serves as diversion road. | |||
Mandaue | 8 | 5.0 | ![]() | ||||
7 | 4.3 | ![]() | |||||
Cebu City | 3 | 1.9 | ![]() | ||||
Cebu | Talisay | 9 | 5.6 | ![]() | |||
11 | 6.8 | ![]() | Serves as diversion road. | ||||
Naga | 21 | 13 | ![]() | ||||
Carcar | 39 | 24 | ![]() | roundabout | |||
Santander | 141 | 88 | ![]() | Southern terminus in a route change. | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- "Cebu 2nd". www.dpwh.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- "Cebu 4th". www.dpwh.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- "Cebu 5th". www.dpwh.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- "Cebu 6th". www.dpwh.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- "Cebu City". www.dpwh.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
- "Road and Bridge Inventory | Department of Public Works and Highways". www.dpwh.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-05-20.