Jose Abad Santos Avenue | |
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Olongapo–Gapan Road Gapan–San Fernando–Olongapo Road |
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Driving eastbound through San Fernando, Pampanga
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Route information | |
Length: | 118 km (73 mi) |
Component highways: |
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Major junctions | |
East end: | AH26 / Route 1 (Maharlika Highway) – Gapan, Nueva Ecija |
West end: | Route 305 (Rizal Avenue) / Route 306 (Olongapo–Bugallon Road) – Olongapo |
Location | |
Major cities: | Gapan, San Fernando, Olongapo |
Highway system | |
Roads in the Philippines |
Roads in the Philippines
Jose Abad Santos Avenue, also known as Olongapo–Gapan Road and Gapan–San Fernando–Olongapo Road is a 118-kilometre (73 mi) long road spanning the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales in Central Luzon, Philippines. It is a major highway in Luzon and is designated as National Route 3 (N3) of the Philippine highway network route numbering system.
Jose Abad Santos Avenue was named after the late Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, a Kapampangan born in San Fernando on February 19, 1886. The avenue was formerly called Olongapo–Gapan Road and Gapan–San Fernando–Olongapo Road. The name was changed in line with Republic Act No. 9477 signed by former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on May 22, 2007. Nowadays, the avenue is commonly referred to by its acronym JASA, however, its old name is still used.
Jose Abad Santos Avenue traces its roots to the pre-colonial period. The Kapampangan empire expanded their trades throughout Central Luzon, forcing them to create roads adjacent to the Pampanga River. Since Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Rizal (Metro Manila) are readily accessible because the road networks to that locations exist, the empire could not access the province of Zambales and Bataan. Through the years, they developed land tracks accessible by foot and small wagons pulled by horses.